Local Supermarkets Implement New COVID Staffing Policy

As the Government prepares to safely reopen its borders, the supermarkets of the Cayman Islands have come together to do their part to keep their staff and customers safe.

Effective August 9th, 2021, Foster’s Supermarket, Priced Right, Kirk Market, Hurley’s Marketplace and Cost-U-Less Grand Cayman will require all job applicants to have verified proof of vaccination to be considered for employment. Additionally, work permit renewals will only be processed for vaccinated team members.

The decision supports the Government’s re-opening plan introduced in June 2021, which aims to see 80% of the country’s population vaccinated by September 9th, 2021. This joint COVID Staffing Policy will play a role in helping the Government achieve its vaccination goal to protect public health.

As essential businesses, the local supermarkets employ a significant portion of the local workforce to ensure the country’s food supply chains are uninterrupted and secure. We must unite on the vaccination requirements across all stores to protect our dedicated staff and valued customers.

Vaccination rates amongst current supermarket staff have been excellent, as many of Cayman’s supermarkets have been facilitating staff vaccinations since February 2021, and we hope that these steps will give everyone greater peace of mind.

The supermarkets are currently working with their respective leadership teams to amend internal policies and plans, in alignment with the government’s re-opening timeline, to include points such as mask requirements for team members, social distancing, increased store sanitation, etc.

We encourage the community to come together and understand the importance of being vaccinated for the safety of loved ones and yourself. While vaccine hesitancy and misinformation are hurdles across the globe, it’s important to be informed before getting vaccinated. It’s even more important to source information from reputable, verified news sources, including the Cayman Islands Government website or social media pages, the World Health Organization website, the UK National Health Service (NHS) website, or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

As the Government begins to re-introduce tourism and travel for the Cayman Islands, the major supermarkets will continue to monitor and follow all health and safety guidelines provided by the Health Services Authority.

We will update our community as new information is received.