A St. Albert McDonald's located at 369 St. Albert Trail reopened fully Monday morning after an employee tested positive for COVID-19, leading the fast food restaurant to close last week.
The employee worked their last shift on Saturday, Aug. 8, from 1 to 8 p.m. Anyone who may have visited this location during that time period should follow the appropriate precautions and directives from Alberta Health Services, as found on its website at albertahealthservices.ca.
Despite early reports last Monday that the McDonald's had reopened, its restaurant area remained closed. Just the drive-thru and McDelivery service were open. That was a business decision, according to a McDonald's spokesperson.
Take-out and dine-in services resumed Aug. 24.
"All crew members who may have been in close contact with the employee have been asked to self-quarantine until further information is available," wrote Leanna Rizzi, external communications manager for McDonald's Canada, in an email to the Gazette.
Once McDonald's was notified of the positive case, the decision was made to immediately shut down the resaturant for a thorough cleaning and sanitization by a certified third party, she wrote.
"In addition to our existing high standards of cleanliness, restaurants continue to demonstrate our Safety+ commitment, which includes enhanced safety measures to ensure every part of the McDonald's experience is safe for our guests and employees."
Hand sanitizer dispensers are available inside, and high-touch surfaces and guest tables will be kept clean and sanitized.
Floor markers will help guests keep their distance from each other, front counters are fitted with protective screens, and tables are clearly marked to respect social distancing. The number of people allowed inside and in outdoor seating spaces will depend on the size of the restaurant.
Employees will wear gloves to take payments and serve guests, and wear masks at all times while working in the restaurant. Contactless payment options are available, and guests can also order using the McDonald's mobile app and pay on their phone.
At press deadline, St. Albert recorded 14 active confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city. Forty-three people have recovered in total. One person has died.
