FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – B.C. Hydro has confirmed that the person who tested positive for COVID-19 passed their self-assessment before entering the Site C construction site.
The worker from Alberta has been put into self-isolation along with four other close contacts. The person arrived in Fort St. John via a charter plane from Edmonton on Monday, July 13. On July 15, Alberta Health notified the person that they tested positive for COVID-19. It is not clear when this person was tested in Alberta.
Then on July 16, Northern Health completed another test and confirmed the Alberta results. The clinic at the construction site is equipped to do COVID-19 tests. The sample would have then be transported to the Fort St. John Hospital laboratory for testing.
Dr. Henry said the person in question had limited contacts at the worksite, and those contacts have been put into self-isolation. Both B.C. Hydro and Dr. Henry said this person had no contact with anyone in Fort St. John.
In March, B.C. Hydro required every worker to complete a self-assessment before being allowed at the construction site. B.C. Hydro representative Dave Conway says this person completed their self-assessment.
Conway couldn’t confirm if the person was asked about being tested for COVID-19 in Alberta. Dr. Henry also said she didn’t know if that question had been asked, but said it would be going forward.
Conway says they are reviewing their current protocols. “We are taking every precaution possible. We are looking at ways to improve our protocols as a result of this case.”
B.C. Hydro’s pre-screen protocols are modelled after Federal and Provincial pre-screening travel protocols that include temperature checks and the questionnaire. You can review B.C. Hydro’s COVID-19 protocols at https://www.sitecproject.com/COVID-19
**EDITORS NOTE – the story has been updated to confirm the medical clinic at Site C is capable of testing for COVID-19. After a test is completed, the sample is then sent to a local laboratory at the Fort St. John Hospital.
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