Meat processing workers need vaccine priority

The meat processing and exporting industry wants the Government to recognise it as high risk for Covid-19 transmission and prioritise its staff for vaccination.

Meat Industry Association chief executive Sirma Karapeeva said large numbers of people worked closely together.

Australia and the United States had already prioritised the industry for vaccination because Covid-19 had spread rapidly in processing plants.

US researchers had found that meat processing plants had been vectors for transmission, which accelerated the spread of the virus, she said.

‘‘The New Zealand red meat industry took decisive action to proactively develop and implement safety protocols, which provide guidance and a minimum standard to enable our processors to continue safely operating,’’ Karapeeva said.

‘‘However, there is no room for complacency.

‘‘It is critical that we fortify our first line of defence, for the safety and wellbeing of workers and communities and to safeguard the red meat sector’s significant contribution to the New Zealand economy, which is now heavily reliant on our export revenue.’’

Most plants had nurses on site or arrangements with medical centres, and were well positioned to do large-scale vaccination programmes quickly, she said.

Epidemiologist Michael Baker said it was reasonable to discuss whether some groups of workers should be prioritised.

There would have to be a process in which all the potential high-priority groups were ranked, and as the vaccine was arriving in batches, it made sense to do that.

The widely accepted criteria starting with border workers, frontline healthcare workers and the most vulnerable population groups, he said.

Other epidemiological criteria that deserved consideration included age, co-morbidity and ethnicity or others based on geography, such as population density, proximity to major airports and MIQ facilities.

Confined working environments had been the sites of widespread transmission overseas, he said.

Minister for Covid-19 Response Chris Hipkins said vaccine supply was constrained and the Government had a sequencing framework in place. Meat workers did not fall into first-priority categories under the framework.

‘‘The decisions we make are mindful of ensuring that the people who are first in line are truly at the highest risk of contracting and/or spreading the virus,’’ Hipkins said.

‘‘Fortunately, New Zealand is in a position [at present] where there is not widespread community transmission of Covid.’’