The Sangster's Lawson Heights location closed on March 19, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Sangster's/Facebook)

By Chris Vandenbreekel/CKOM News Staff

Saskatoon store closes after encounter with traveller who didn’t self-isolate

Mar 20, 2020 | 11:01 AM

A Sangster’s health store in Saskatoon closed to customers on Thursday morning due to the COVID-19 outbreak and after staff interacted with a traveller who wasn’t self-isolating.

Owner Rheanne Haines told 650 CKOM she and her staff were left in shock after a regular customer came into the store on Wednesday, talking openly about how they had just returned from a trip to Hawaii the day before.

Haines said the customer admitted to choosing not to self-isolate after health officials urged anyone returning to Canada to stay at home for 14 days in case symptoms of the novel coronavirus presented.

“She said, ‘Don’t worry, I’m not showing any symptoms and I feel fine,’ and then she tootled out the door,” Haines recalled.

“We freaked out and sprayed everything down with bleach, and thought, ‘Well, OK, we weren’t too close to her so maybe it’ll be OK.’ ”

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However, moments later the customer returned to pick up an additional item, and provided more information that gave the Sangster’s staff cause for concern.

“(She) said that 11 of the people she travelled with were sick, but she still felt fine because she was taking her supplements,” Haines said.

“It was like going to the Forestry Farm and noticing the cougar cage is open. You stand there in shock and in fear.”

There was no indication from the customer that they were exhibiting symptoms or that they had contracted COVID-19. As of Thursday, the state of Hawaii had reported 10 cases of the coronavirus, with no evidence of community transmission.

Haines said she was already considering closing the store through the pandemic, and the incident with the customer further encouraged the call to shutter the doors.

She noted several of her staff were immuno-compromised, or were connected to family members who had weakened immune systems.

“That one irresponsible person, we just said, ‘No, we can’t risk it.’ And we got to thinking how many times had someone come through here and just didn’t say anything,” Haines said.

She noted the staff are all self-isolating now as a precaution, and they’ve notified the Saskatchewan Health Authority of the interaction.

The Sangster’s location is closed physically, but will continue to offer some services through phone orders and mailing.