Supermarket owner says store has been ‘misrepresented’ by the Health Department

(Image: Google Maps)

The owner of a supermarket listed as a high risk COVID-19 location by the Department of Health and Human Services has cast doubt over the reliability of information being provided by the department to the public.

Jason Blake, who owns Leo’s Supermarket in Glen Iris, says his business has been “unfairly targeted”.

He says he’s been told by the DHHS that his supermarket is a low risk location and only one infected customer attended.

The DHHS website currently lists the supermarket as a high risk location, with two listings, one from midday to 2.20pm on September 26, and one from 2pm to 2.20pm on the same day.

Mr Blake says the supermarket has been “misrepresented as a high risk exposure site”.

“My understanding is it’s still only one customer,” he told Neil Mitchell.

“The information that goes out from the DHHS is often not correct or not fully correct.”

Mr Blake called for the DHHS to change how it reports exposure sites.

“I think the nomenclature of the government and the DHHS needs to be looked at, the way they package these things up and the way they tell people things,” he said.

The supermarket has been thoroughly cleaned since the infected person shopped there. A hospital-grade thermal fogging of the store will be done tonight.

Press PLAY below for the full interview.