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Work camps in the Alberta oilsands are bracing for a possible COVID-19 outbreak in lodgings housing thousands of workers from around the country.

Earlier this week, Civeo Corp. said one of its guests — a man in his 30s — had “symptoms consistent with COVID-19.” Test results are pending.

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In the meantime, companies are taking extra precautions to protect workers, many of whom live in other parts of the country and fly into the camps for work.

“The safety of local communities and our workforce is paramount,” said Karim Zariffa, executive director of the Oil Sands Community Alliance.

Every company is telling employees to wash their hands frequently and clean high-contact areas such as doorknobs.

Using hand sanitizer is mandatory before entering dining areas. The meals are no longer served at buffets. Instead, they are either pre-packaged or served by staff. More lunch times have been added to accommodate social distancing.