Outbreaks at meat factories ‘linked to canteens and car sharing’

OUTBREAKS OF Covid-19 at meat-processing factories in England and Wales are thought to be linked to canteens and car-sharing schemes, the Environment Secretary has said.

George Eustice told the Commons the Government would issue new guidance to plants to try to stop further spread.

A meat-processing plant owned by Asda in Cleckheaton last week became the third food site in 48 hours to confirm an outbreak and it was confirmed yesterday 165 workers had tested positive for coronavirus.

The Kober plant, which supplies bacon to Asda supermarkets and employs more than 500 people, has closed until this week, with a test-and-trace programme under way.

Three workers also died from coronavirus after a small outbreak at a meat-processing plant in Barnsley last month. Eleven workers were diagnosed with the virus and seven were hospitalised at Cranswick Convenience Foods in Wombwell.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the Government was investigating the cause, while chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said the cold environment in such factories could be a factor. In Germany, Europe’s largest meat-processing plant suffered a Covid-19 outbreak that led to approximately 7,000 people being quarantined.

At Environment Questions in the Commons, Labour’s Luke Pollard asked if statutory sick pay was high enough to ensure people did not feel compelled to work even if they were ill.

Mr Eustice said: “We suspect these outbreaks might have been linked either to canteens or potentially to car-sharing arrangements in those plants.

“And we will be revising guidance to ensure that businesses have the approach they need to prevent further outbreaks in the future.”