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Larger supermarkets can allow more than 50 people inside as long as they follow strict guidelines, says provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
In a prepared statement, Dr. Henry said that she had been contacted by employers in the retail food and grocery store sector asking for clarity about whether a recent Public Health Act order prohibiting mass gatherings of 50 or more people applied to them.
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Specifically, the order prohibited “the gathering of people in excess of 50 people at a place of which a person is the owner, occupier or operator, or for which they are otherwise responsible.”
Noting that retail food and grocery stores were deemed and essential service, Dr. Henry said “While this order does not directly apply to the retail food and grocery industry, the spirit of the order should be followed. This means that, for example, in large grocery stores where it is feasible to have more than 50 people present at one time, it is permissible to do so provided that appropriate physical distancing can be maintained.”
