Shipping company deals with outbreak

FedEx near airport has 3 confirmed cases among staff

A cluster of COVID-19 cases at a FedEx facility near Kelowna’s airport is under investigation.

Three staff members have tested positive and six other employees are in isolation. But there is no risk to the public, Dr. Bonnie Henry says.

“Public health teams are on site and are working with the business there, and contact tracing is underway,” Henry said Thursday. “There is no risk to those in the public who are picking up packages.”

In a statement, Interior Health said FedEx was following its protocols.

“The business has sufficient precautions in place to prevent COVID-19 transmission to the public, and there has been no COVID-19 exposure to the general public,” IH said.

FedEx is on Airport Way, but not connected to the terminal. No transmission of COVID-19 has occurred between FedEx and airport workers.

A total of 142 new cases of COVID19 across B.C. were confirmed between Wednesday and Thursday, Henry said, two in Interior Health.

Asked about Halloween, Henry repeated earlier messaging that families might consider celebrating in different ways this year, such as having hunts for treats around their own homes, or watching a movie together.

For those who do want to make the usual neighbourhood rounds, Henry suggested kids go in groups of two or three — at the most.

People giving out candy should provide treats laid out separately on a table near their front door rather than having kids dig in a big bowl.

Or families could use the blade end of a hockey stick to extend treats to little goblins, a candy distribution method that Henry said would be “very Canadian.”