November 20, 2020 – One would think a boutique that caters to children would be one of the safest shopping experiences during a World Wide pandemic, but for several shoppers in Cornwall Ontario who contacted this newspaper they were shocked and now want to go get Covid tests.
Complaints of the owner not wearing mask, coughing profusely and than using the payment control device without washing it and no social distancing are the major complaints.
“Omg….I just came out of Kid’s Corner toy store. It was packed. 3 people were coughing including the manager/owner who had a dry cough. It was nervewracking!”
“Easily 15 people on their main floor I don’t know if you’ve ever been in there but it’s quite small it was like deathly video game going through the aisle with my baby”
“The owner is usually there was behind up plexiglass coughing the dry cough wiping his nose and face and then handing me the keypad after he dialed his little code in it to hand it over to me I kind of helped my breath and I sent it twice immediately after but I find that he’s like a big brother to my goodness I hope he doesn’t have it”
“One lady left the store and as she was walking out she coughed her guts out as though she was holding it back the whole time”
“ It was literally nerve-wracking obviously they don’t care there’s no way there should be 15 people on that main floor Several times I was stuck couldn’t go anywhere because I was trapped between people with a baby“
“He wore no gloves, touched interac pad after wiping his face without a mask on and was dry coughing behind plexiglass“
“One of my favorite stores but I’m concerned they may be aiding the spread of COVID19 especially with Christmas shopping“
CFN spoke with Kevin Ouderkirk who suggested the complaints were nit picking and that the health unit had ok’d all of his store procedures while doling out anti mask rhetoric.
He also stated that he has one employee who doesn’t wear a mask because they have a health condition. IE, rather than staying home if their condition is flaring they attend work without a mask.
As well he thought it was fine as long as people were separated by at least one meter.
He did not deny any of the allegations via telephone.
Sadly in Cornwall you can’t really report COVID-19 violations. Calls to the CPS were met with directions to call the EOHU. You cannot visit the unit, only call which leads to a maze of telephone voicemail suggestions.
There is no covid directives for complaints on their main website page.
CFN did confirm via phone with another nearby merchant that they in fact have a NO MASK, NO ENTRY rule. The Health Unit has even written on its web page that store owners are not obliged to let those exempted or anyone in their businesses without a mask.
This newspaper suggests staying out of any business that doesn’t enforce the wearing of minimum 3 play masks as stated from PHAC regardless of exemptions, proper social distancing, and following other protective measures.
We all have to work together to protect our economy, community, and health care system.
If you have more information related to this story you can email jamie@cornwallfreenews.com