Westview Dry Cleaner & Laundromat has shut down until at least April 1 in response to the COVID-19 virus.
Manager Karen King said the business has been closed based on the advice from provincial health authorities to close every place where COVID-19 could spread.
“There’s just way too many surfaces in the laundromat to try to keep clean, with people touching them,” said King.
She said on the dry cleaner side, because BC Ferries are an essential service, there are special hours and a special set-up with them so that they can still get their uniforms.
“We’re keeping them clean as much as possible,” said King. “That’s the only service that we are operating. The laundromat, we can’t. With people coming in with all of their bedding and their sick clothes, it’s going to spread it even more.
“To stop the spread, like they say, stay home and keep it locked up. That’s what we are doing, other than BC Ferries and some of our commercial clients that are still working and still need our services. We’re helping them wherever possible.”
On April 1, King said the business will reassess and make a decision at that point.
“We’ll follow the lead of what the top doctor has been telling us,” said King. “We keep an eye on the news all of the time so we are following advice. It’s all we can do.”
Closing was not a decision that was made with the business owner lightly, according to King. “We have to consider all of our employees as well and what we are going to do for them.”
She said the safety of the workers was a consideration in the closure decision.
Westview Dry Cleaner & Laundromat is the only laundromat and dry cleaner in Powell River and there are times where they feel like they are an essential service, said King, because people still require cleaning, but there’s just no way to control the situation and keep it clean, she added.
