Hundreds of samples from Ontario grocery stores examined for coronavirus; all test negative
CTV
A new study tested more than 900 samples from high-touch surfaces in Ontario grocery stores for SARS-CoV-2 and found zero positive results, suggesting the risk of exposure to the virus in grocery stores is low.
The University of Guelph study collected 957 samples from four different grocery stores in Ontario in October and November 2020. The grocery stores were located in urban and suburban locations across southern Ontario, meaning all were serving population-dense areas, and were located in COVID-19 “hot zones,” the study said.
All of the stores followed the same provincial COVID-19 guidelines, including social distancing, sanitation and enforcing PPE for customers and employees.
The surfaces selected for swabbing were all considered “high-touch” areas. They included the payment station, the deli counter, the frozen foods section, shopping carts and baskets. Swabs were collected on Tuesdays and Fridays, twice a day, once before the store opened and once immediately after the store closed. The samples were then taken to a nearby lab for testing.
Throughout the study period, the researchers also recorded the incidence of COVID-19 in the surrounding communities to see if there was any correlation between the number of COVID-19 cases and the presence of the virus found in the stores.
