Health unit warns of possible COVID-19 exposure at Carleton Place car dealership

The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit building in Brockville. (Nate Vandermeer/CTV News Ottawa)

OTTAWA -

The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit (LGLDHU) is advising residents of a possible exposure to COVID-19 at a Carleton Place car dealership.

In a release, the LGLDHU said anyone who visited Bean Chevrolet Buick GMC dealership at 375 McNeely Ave. in Carleton Place between Nov. 13 and 27 inclusive may have been exposed to COVID-19 while there.

Owner and president Keith Bean told CTV News Ottawa an employee tested positive last week and, after testing the entire staff, five more cases were found. All of the employees are fully vaccinated and are asymptomatic, he said.

The decision was made to close the dealership for a week to get the situation under control.

Bean says employees will be retested on Friday and doors should reopen Monday morning.

"We're retesting everyone, since it will have been about seven days since our first exposure, and they'll need a negative test result to come in on Monday," he explained.

Bean said the affected employees were in the sales department, and not the busier service department, and the cases were contained there.

"I've been on the phone with the health unit every day since this happened and they've been great. They've given a lot of good advice," Bean said. "The girl at the health unit said, 'Congratulations. You made it a year and a half.'"

Bean is encouraging customers to follow the health unit's advice and seek testing if symptoms develop.

If you were at the premises during those days, the health unit is advising you to:

Monitor for symptoms carefully, even mild ones.

Testing is recommended if you had any symptom of COVID-19 since November 13. If you have/had symptoms:

• Self-isolate and get tested at a local assessment centre, regardless of your vaccination status.
• Everyone in your household (unless they are fully vaccinated) must also stay home until you get a negative COVID-19 test result

Continue with public health precautions to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

• Stay home if you are sick
• Practice physical distancing – stay 2 meters (6 feet) away from people in public areas
• Wear a face covering: Minimum of 2 layers of material; 3 will provide further protection when you cannot stay 6 feet away from people out in public – and in indoor public spaces as required
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer after being in touch with others or handling anything from outside your home
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Cover your cough and sneeze with a tissue or into your arm, not your hands

If you have questions or concerns, please contact the Infectious Diseases Program, at 1-800-660-5853 extension 2222.