BARRIE -- A Tim Hortons employee in Alliston has tested positive for COVID-19, says health unit officials.
Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) Medical Officer of Health Dr. Charles Gardner says the individual is in self-isolation along with other employees who would have been in close contact.
He says that because the store is drive-thru only, the risk to customers is very minimal, but not impossible. "We aren't sure at this point. In theory, it is possible," he says of the virus being transferred on cups through the drive-thru window.
Still, Dr. Gardner maintains the risk to customers at a drive-thru would be remote. "The main way people get infected is breathing it in. The greatest of the risk is if you're actually in close contact to the person for a long period of time, so really, it's the fellow workers who are at the greatest risk."
The health unit confirmed the Tim Hortons had been sanitized since the worker tested positive. "The premises itself has been deeply cleaned and so they would be able to operate, provided that they have other individuals not associated who weren't contacts doing the work."
CTV reached out to Tim Hortons for comment, but did not receive a response.
On Friday, the health unit reported six new cases in Simcoe Muskoka, bringing the total number of cases in our region to 35, including three deaths.
