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Updated April 9, 2020
Several days ago, we asked our members if they had any coronavirus questions that were related to retail grocery. CFIG collected those questions raised by members and we are posting those answers from Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. Listed below are the most recent responses to your questions.
The Public Health Measures team within the Public Health Agency of Canada received and reviewed the questions below from the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers. We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic is putting great pressure on grocery store operators and wish to offer the best available advice. Therefore, where appropriate, we have provided answers to the questions posed and have linked to relevant guidance and resources on the Canada.ca coronavirus disease (COVID-19) website. Many questions pertain to issues that are beyond the scope of PHAC and which would be best addressed by a local public health authority.
In addition, PHAC recommends that industries/employers consult with their occupational health and safety offices when determining the risk to employees of contracting SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and the appropriate strategies to mitigate the risk. As infection prevention and control activities are specific to workplaces, PHAC cannot provide generic advice that would be appropriate to all industries/employers. However, industries/employers can engage infection control professionals to consult and advise on risks and mitigation strategies for specific activities and tasks. Infection control professionals can be accessed via Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Canada: https://ipac-canada.org/
Frequently Asked Questions from Members & Consumers of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG)
1.Should my packaged products purchased from grocery be wiped with cleaners?
It is not certain how long the virus that causes COVID-19 survives on surfaces. Studies suggest that coronaviruses may persist on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days. This may vary under different conditions (e.g. type of surface, temperature or humidity of the environment). Source: “Contamination of surfaces” https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/health-professionals/assumptions.html
If you choose to use a disinfectant on packaged grocery items, use approved hard-surface disinfectants that have a Drug Identification Number (DIN) and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. A DIN is an 8-digit number given by Health Canada that confirms the disinfectant product is approved for use in Canada. Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/cleaning-disinfecting-public-spaces.html
Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds when you return home from the grocery store and after unpacking groceries. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/reduce-spread-covid-19-wash-your-hands.html
- Does putting product in the fridge or freezer kill the virus?
We do not yet know at what temperature this virus in inactivated.
- Masks and gloves – WHO and PHAC say not to wear masks and gloves yet LCBO staff and everyone around the world are wearing them, what is the right answer?
Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be used on the advice of an organization’s occupational health and safety office and is based on a risk assessment that considers both the risk associated with a specific task/activity as well as the characteristics of the source of the infection (e.g. a sick person or a contaminated environment).
The use of respirators (e.g. N-95 respirators) are not recommended, except in healthcare settings when particular high risk procedures are being performed or in other industries when respirators are routinely used.
Medical masks, including surgical, medical procedure face masks and respirators (like N95 masks), must be kept for healthcare workers and others providing direct care to COVID-19 patients. Wearing a non-medical mask (such as a homemade cloth mask) is a way to cover the mouth and nose to prevent respiratory droplets from contaminating others or landing on surfaces.
In other words, wearing a mask protects others in case you are carrying the virus. It does not protect YOU.
Similar to the recommendation not to cough into one’s hands (instead, cover coughs with tissues or a sleeve), a mask can help to contain respiratory droplets.
Gloves are only recommended when workers will be in direct contact with an ill person, or a contaminated object or environment. PPE must be used correctly to prevent contamination when taking it on and off; hand washing remains critical even when using PPE. Training on the use of PPE should be provided.
Practicing frequent and thorough hand hygiene (washing hands for 20 seconds with soap and water, or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer), as well as not touching one’s face, are the best ways to prevent infection. Those who are ill should stay home from work, and should always practice respiratory etiquette, by coughing into their arm or a tissue.
For more information, visit Risk Informed Decision Making for Workplaces:
For more detailed information about wearing masks: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/prevention-risks.html#p
- Do masks and gloves make a difference?
Masks
Medical masks (i.e. surgical or medical procedure face masks) and respirators (such as N95 respirators), must be reserved for healthcare workers and others providing direct care to COVID-19 patients.
Wearing a non-medical mask (such as a homemade cloth mask) is a way to cover the mouth and nose to prevent your respiratory droplets from contaminating others or landing on surfaces.
In other words, wearing a mask protects others in case you are carrying the virus. It does not protect YOU
Similar to the recommendation not to cough into one’s hands (instead, cover coughs with tissues or a sleeve), a mask can help to contain respiratory droplets.
Strict hygiene and public health measures, including frequent hand washing and physical (social) distancing, will reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus. In other words, wearing a mask protects others in case you are carrying the virus. It does not protect YOU from others.
Non-medical masks alone will not prevent the spread of COVID-19. You must consistently and strictly adhere to good hygiene and public health measures, including frequent hand washing and physical (social) distancing.
More detailed information about wearing masks: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/prevention-risks.html
Gloves
A gloved hand can become contaminated as easily as an ungloved hand; therefore, gloves must be removed promptly and hand hygiene performed on bare hands. Gloves are only recommended when workers will be in direct physical contact with an ill person (i.e. touching the person), or a contaminated object or environment. Hand hygiene must be performed as soon as gloves are removed. PPE must be used correctly to prevent contamination when taking it on and off; hand washing remains critical even when using PPE. Training on the use of PPE should be provided.
For more information, visit Risk Informed Decision Making for Workplaces:
- Specific guidance on hand sanitation in the retail setting. I have called Toronto Public Health with my question and they were unable to answer my question even after escalating to their manager. This is the scenario:
We were asking cashiers to do a proper handwash every 30 minutes and use hand sanitizer in between each customer. We are starting to see some skin breakdown. Is sanitizing between each customer necessary? Is this the recommendation. The only guidance has been “frequent” and “often”. We want protocols to be effective, but we don’t want to require something out of fear of not doing enough.
The points below are elaborated from “Risk-informed decision-making for workplaces and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic” located here: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/guidance-documents/risk-informed-decision-making-workplaces-businesses-covid-19-pandemic.html
Given that COVID-19 can survive on surfaces and objects for hours to days, work and/or services that are transactional in nature may represent a higher risk of exposure (e.g., exchange of money or items).
Encourage hand hygiene after exchange of money or items.
Consider other ways to limit contact between employees and the public, such as providing physical barriers between employees and customers and having customers scan and pack their own purchases using self-check out.
Routine cleaning of frequently used surfaces and objects help to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 in order to mitigate the risk of people becoming infected through self-inoculation after touching contaminated surfaces. The virus that causes COVID-19 has the potential to survive in the environment for up to several days. Cleaning, particularly of frequently touched surfaces, can kill the virus, making it no longer possible to infect people.
Enhance your environmental cleaning procedures and protocols with a special attention to high-touch surfaces and object (e.g., phones, elevator buttons, computers, desks, lunch tables, kitchens, washrooms, cash registers, seating areas, surface counters, customer service counters, bars, restaurant tables/menus).
- Rules for isolation
Who do you send home, if anyone, for these cases? What is considered close contact and how long is the contact for? Eg. If someone works at the deli counter and another works at the cash
If they just pass by each other, do they need to self isolate? If they work more than 6 feet away from each other, do they need to self isolate?
Advice for specific situations should be obtained from the local public health authority responsible for case and contact management.
General advice on prevention and risk is found here:
In situations where any employees have symptoms or have been diagnosed with COVID-19 the local public health authority would be responsible for investigating and providing direction. Each situation and workplace is unique. Local public health authorities will determine which employees are at risk and will provide direction.
Refer to guidance on when and how to isolate at home:
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/covid-19-how-to-isolate-at-home.html
For specific information about how case and contact management (including contact tracing) is being performed in your area, please contact your local public health authority. You may also wish to reach out to your provincial/ territorial government department that is responsible for public health for more information.
- Are we informed by Public Health when someone has been tested and a presumptive case? Are we called when it is a confirmed case? How do we know? Do we rely on the employees to let us know?
For specific information about how case and contact management (including contact tracing) is being performed in your area, please contact your local public health authority. You may also wish to reach out to your provincial/ territorial government department that is responsible for public health for more information.
- What are the rules around customer confirmed cases? Are we informed of it? If so, how does this happen? Does public health call us? Visit us? Email. etc. Do we tell our staff? Will it be publicized? How does this info come to us?
For specific information about how case and contact management (including contact tracing) is being performed in your area, please contact your local public health authority. You may also wish to reach out to your provincial/ territorial government department that is responsible for public health for more information.
- If there is a case in our building and we do a deep cleaning, how long before we can open again? What are the requirements for deep cleaning in a food store?
Please contact your local public health authority for specific advice or requirements they may have with respect to cleaning of environmental where a case was known to have been. General advice on cleaning public spaces is found here:
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/preventing-covid-19-workplace-employers-employees-essential-service-workers.html
- What is the process if an employee is diagnosed? Does Public Health contact us? (Just in case an employee maliciously calls us and says they have been diagnosed with it when they haven’t)
For specific information about how case and contact management (including contact tracing) is being performed in your area, please contact your local public health authority. You may also wish to reach out to your provincial/ territorial government department that is responsible for public health for more information.
- What is our obligation to tell employees? We want to be transparent but also protect our employee’s privacy. Will Public health come to our property and inspect and clear us to reopen?
For specific information about property and site regulations, please contact your local public health authority. Your local public health authority would provide instructions and guidance specifically related to your jurisdiction and situation.
- As we have some positions that require more training and are more essential, can we have priority testing (obviously after health care workers) for Covid 19 for our front line employees?
Any decisions around scheduling and prioritization of COVID-19 testing would made by your local public health authority.
- If someone is diagnosed, how long do they have it for? Are they tested after to confirm it is negative? When can they return to work? It is possible that people infected with COVID-19 may be infectious before showing significant symptoms. However, based on currently available data, the people who have symptoms are causing the majority of virus spread Endnote 15. Cessation of symptoms indicate that the period of communicability is ending.
Cessation of symptoms indicate that the period of communicability is ending. Detailed medical information from people infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 is needed to determine the infectious period of COVID-19, therefore, local public health authorities should be engaged to advise employees when they can return to work. Source: “Period of communicability”: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/health-professionals/assumptions.html
- Does the virus linger in the air or drop quickly? Wondering if we need to sanitize up high and clean filters on ceiling?
Respiratory droplets tend to fall within 2 meters of their source, so maintaining a 2-metre distance from others is a precaution to prevent spread.
- Should we be telling customers to sanitize packaging when they get home? Does being in the fridge kill the disease?
Addressed above.
- Should we let customers use reusable bags at this time?
- If you put hand sanitizer on gloves, will it still work?
Sanitizers can create pinholes. Do not apply sanitizer to the outside of a glove once it’s on your hand, unless the glove is designed to be sanitized.
