MONTREAL – The Omicron wave is putting strong pressure on grocers who must continue their activities, despite a sharp increase in the absenteeism rate of their employees who are sick or who must self-isolate on a preventive basis.
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In Quebec grocery stores, the absenteeism rate would vary between 10% and 20%, estimates Pierre-Alexandre Blouin, president and CEO of the Association of Quebec Food Retailers (ADA).
“I would tell you that we touch wood every day in each of the businesses to know if we are going to lose a lot today [des employés] or not. We hope that it will be replaced because it puts a lot of pressure on the teams, ”he said.
The holiday school holidays have allowed employee-students to offer more availability to compensate for absences, but Éric Courtemanche Baril, owner of a Marché Tradition in Quebec City, fears that the situation will become more difficult in the coming weeks. “It is certain that in the following weeks, we will not have this ability to turn around so quickly and give hours to people who are not at school.”
Due to understaffing, some grocers may be forced to close departments or reduce their hours of operation. At Mr. Baril’s establishment, about 15% of employees are absent due to COVID-19.
He remembers two times when the absenteeism rate rose to 25% in the second and third waves. “We had to shut down certain departments and reduce our opening hours. I closed at 9 p.m. [au lieu de 23 heures] for lack of employees. There are departments that I have closed from time to time, such as the fast food service. When we fall above the 20-25%, we have no choice but to close departments or reduce our opening hours. “
Rapid tests
Video: Rush for rapid screening tests in pharmacies in Quebec (Le Devoir)
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Rapid screening tests: pharmacies taken by storm
Rapid screening tests: pharmacies taken by storm Quebecers have been engaged since Monday morning in a race against time to obtain free rapid screening tests in pharmacies in the province. It looks like it’s the rush as the major banner websites are having trouble. “Server error”: this is what websites indicated when Le Devoir tried to get an appointment to get their hands on a box of five rapid screening tests, notably at a Jean Coutu. Half an hour later, the message no longer appears, but the page allowing to reserve a track cannot be downloaded. The same goes for Familiprix, which also asks citizens to make an appointment rather than showing up on site: the page cannot be downloaded. The Quebec government was to deliver to some 1,900 pharmacies in the province a first case of 108 rapid test kits on Monday (or Tuesday at the latest in remote regions). New boxes must be sent every day until December 23, says the Quebec Association of Pharmacy Distributors. Every Quebecer is entitled to five free screening tests per 30-day period.
The duty
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Return of the pre-return PCR test after short trips abroad
Pre-return PCR test returns after short trips abroad Canadians who plan to make a short trip to the United States over the holiday season will also need to provide a negative drug test in order to be able to return home on Tuesday. “As of December 21, the obligation to carry out a screening test before return will be in effect again for all trips, regardless of their duration.” —Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, Canada This required PCR test must be dated within three days, and must have been performed in a country other than Canada. As of November 30, travelers returning from short 72-hour stays were not required to take any COVID-19 testing. Travelers arriving from the United States still do not have to undergo an on-arrival screening test, unlike those arriving from all other countries since the beginning of December. Minister Duclos had announced that he recommended to Canadians to abandon their travel plans for the holidays, while mentioning that other border measures could be imposed. “I’ll say it again: now is not the time to travel,” he repeated, saying of those who cancel their plane tickets that they “set an example”. Ottawa ends on Saturday its list of 10 African countries in which no foreign national can have stayed in the 14 days before entering the country, since the Omicron variant is currently found “in most countries”, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The duty
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Quebec tightens the screws as the holidays approach
Quebec tightens the screws as the holidays approach Quebec is heading towards a second Christmas in reduced format. An unprecedented wave of contamination is forcing the government to tighten the screws on health measures again. “It has changed completely this week”, dropped a Prime Minister François Legault “tanned”, in a press conference, alongside the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, and the national director of public health, Dr. Horacio Arruda. Health authorities on Thursday recorded more than 3,700 new cases, an all-time high since the start of the pandemic. The Omicron variant, the most contagious strain of the coronavirus observed to date, is already circulating in the Quebec population. Hospitalizations are also increasing, and according to forecasts, there will be saturation of hospitals in January, if nothing changes. Social contacts must be reduced “by 50%”, the Prime Minister regretfully prescribed, and family celebrations must be limited to ten people. The police authorities will not scrutinize the interior of the cottages to enforce the rule, relativized the Minister of Health. “We trust the responsibility of Quebecers.” From next Monday, shops, restaurants, bars, amphitheatres and places of worship will also have to reduce their capacity by half. Dancing and karaoke will again be prohibited. Amateur athletes are also affected by this tightening. All tournaments and competitions are canceled or suspended. The practice of any indoor activity is limited to 25 participants. Primary schools, which are starting the holiday break these days, will reopen as planned in early January. High schools, CEGEPs and universities will kick off 2022 with distance education for at least a week. The Prime Minister is not closing the door to a further tightening of measures in the near future. “It’s not impossible that next week we have to adjust.”
The duty
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The ADA would like grocery store workers to have better access to drug tests, which would reduce the isolation period for employees who are not infected. Fearing a shortage, Quebec has limited access to PCR tests. The food industry must therefore fall back on rapid testing.
“We will be dependent on the availability of rapid tests,” comments Mr. Blouin. There are retailers who have already ordered some, there are those who have already used all of them, others who are waiting to have some. “
Supply Chain
Grocers aren’t the only ones struggling with absenteeism. The entire food chain is under pressure, notes Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Laboratory of Analytical Sciences in Agri-food at Dalhousie University. “The problem with Omicron is that it hits hard and it hits extremely quickly. We don’t allow the industry to adapt. ”
This is particularly the case in an Exceldor slaughterhouse near Quebec where it was decided to euthanize chickens that could not be processed due to a lack of personnel. The co-op attributed its difficulties to the increase in COVID-19 infections combined with federal delays in processing temporary foreign worker applications.
In this context, Quebec’s public health had no choice but to reduce the isolation period from 10 days to 5 days for people infected with COVID-19, believes Mr. Charlebois. This relaxation was necessary for the food supply chain. “Even if public health has been criticized, from the point of view of the industry, I do not see how we would have had a choice,” said the economist. It’s amazing what’s going on. ”
Mr. Charlebois does not anticipate grocery store closings, but he believes that consumers should expect not to find on the shelves all the products they are used to consuming. “I’m a little concerned with what’s going on with the supply chain right now. It will not be easy to keep the world and ensure that there is fluidity within the chain. ”
He invites consumers not to rush into grocery stores to stock up. “To panic, that would be the worst thing to do, warns the economist. It is better to go to the grocery store several times, if you are comfortable doing so. Otherwise, it could get worse if people buy their food too far in advance. ”
Stéphane Rolland, The Canadian Press