Dr Ashley Bloomfield and Chris Hipkins revealed that cases from services and a wedding at a Mt Roskill church are not related to the main Auckland cluster. Video / Pool
A major grocery chain says all its stores are running as if Covid-infected shoppers walk through the door every day during the current lockdown.
Foodstuffs' North Island cooperative, which includes Pak'nSave, New World and Four Square, is reassuring customers, saying stores are being cleaned and sanitised night and day toprotect against the spread of the contagious disease.
Yesterday it emerged a person shopped at West Auckland's Lincoln Rd Pak'nSave last Tuesday before testing positive for Covid-19. The infected customer was wearing a mask and health authorities said those in the store at the time were considered casual contacts and at low risk of contracting the disease.
Despite this management at the largest supermarket in New Zealand warned anyone in the store between midday and 1pm on August 18 to be on alert for symptoms and if they became unwell to seek medical advice and get a test.
Foodstuffs North Island chief executive Chris Quin moved to allay fears that shoppers were at risk of being exposed to the virus during the time an infected shopper visited the store and when notifications came in from health authorities up to 10 days later.
"Right now, we are essentially running our stores like an undiagnosed Covid-19 case may have shopped with us any day," said Quin.
"I want to let customers know that we operate as if it could have happened today."
He said all Pak'nSave, New world and Four Square supermarkets were undertaking rigorous additional cleaning to keep their premises safe for customers and staff.
This had been stepped up since the start of the latest outbreak.
"We are normally alerted to cases of Covid-19 that may have generated casual contact five to 10 days after the individual has been in store which means not only has a store's increased cleaning measures and sanitisation systems occurred multiple times each day since, it has also been closed each night and during that time has seen thorough cleaning and sanitisation as per our Covid-cleaning protocols," said Quin.
"Our focus is on making sure our in-store hygiene protocols are thorough, up to date with the best practice and our teams are supported to follow the processes and ensure the highest levels of hygiene and cleaning are in place."
Keeping everyone safe was top priority and the grocer chain was in constant contact with relevant health authorities, he said.
Quin said he understood returning to level 3 for Auckland and level 2 throughout the rest of the country had been tough for everyone, but he was confident the cooperative's systems were robust and the owners of each store were focused on the protection and wellbeing of their communities.
"This fight against Covid-19 is ever changing but we promise we will continue to do all we should to keep our people and customers safe and to enable access to the groceries New Zealanders need to feed their families."
The grocery boss also praised customers for shopping normally ahead of the second lockdown. In March, shelves were stripped of household staples including toilet paper, flour, yeast and pasta as people raced to fill store cupboards.
"On behalf of the Foodies team, I really want to thank New Zealand for resisting the urge to panic buy this time around.
"This really helps us deliver fully stocked shelves to all New Zealanders and ensures us amateur bakers have plentiful supplies of flour and as much toilet paper as anyone could possibly desire," he said.
