Wakefield businesses report possible COVID-19 contact, close
By Stuart Benson
Wakefield’s The Village House and La Fauxmagerie Ma Petite Cuisine announced on Facebook that their businesses have recently been in contact with someone, although not necessarily the same person, who had tested positive for COVID-19.
Sarah Swan, the owner of The Village House, a restaurant on Riverside Drive, wrote the post on July 31, encouraging anyone who had dined at the restaurant since July 22 to get tested.
“The only way I can help you protect yourselves and your loved ones is to share this info and I am grateful that I was informed by the client who dined with us as well,” Swan wrote. “It takes bravery and I hope to set an example for any other businesses.”
In an email to The Low Down, Swan added that the restaurant had been informed that a client who dined with them on the patio July 22, had tested positive and that all staff would be tested.
“I have contacted the clients who have dined with us via email or telephone and closed the restaurant for two weeks,” Swan wrote. “We love this community and value their safety and continued support.”
The following day, on Aug. 1, Fauxmagerie, an artisan vegan fromagerie and bakery on Chemin de la Vallée de Wakefield, posted to their Facebook page that they, too, had possibly been in contact with someone who had tested positive for COVID-19 and that they would be closed for the remainder of the weekend so staff could be tested. On Aug. 3, Fauxmagerie posted an update to their page announcing that both tests had returned negative, though the store will remain closed the following weekend, as the store had already planned to close to prepare for the fall.
On Aug. 4, Kaffe 1870 posted on Facebook that, in light of these two events, they would also be closed for a few days as well.
“We would like to err on the side of caution,” explained the post on Kaffe’s Facebook page. “We send out our love and support to those already affected and to everyone in this industry trying to do the best they can.”
According to CISSSO, there are currently 58 active cases in the Outaouais, with less than five cases being reported.