Warning Covid safeguards must be properly followed
Farmershavebeenwarned of the need to continue to take Covid safeguards seriously – and avoid the consequences of letting their guard down.
A GP from the southwest of Scotland this week reminded farmers that while everyone in the industry appreciated the need for full health and hygiene measures to protect the biosecurity of their flocks and herds, the same sort of precautions should be adopted for the farm workforce - including the farmer himself.
Writing for NFU Scotland, Dr John Locke, a GP in Dumfries and Galloway and chairman of the union’s Stewartry Branch issuedthewarningasmore farmers prepare to take to the markets to attend the the busy autumn breeding sales.
“Why do we test for BVD, TB or Johnes or bother to isolate a sick calf? Or disinfect lambing pens?” asked Locke.
“Because we know that these diseases spread without symptoms or that we can take effective measures to avoid infecting other animals.”
And he went on to warn that Covid-19 was no different – and while individuals couldn’t tell who had had the virus, they could take measures to reduce transmission.
Dr Locke said that although the number of cases in the UK had been reducing every week - due to lockdown and other restrictions - small spikes of infection mostly related to workplaces or pubs were still occurring.
And he warned that while markets had strict protocols and controls in place to help ensure the disease would not spread when farmers gathered, these simply had to be obeyed.
Stating that the relaxation of the rules and more gatherings had led to a resurgence in the spread of the disease – and more illness and death – he warned that there should be no complacency:
“We do not want that to happen here, either for health or economic reasons. We are in danger of relaxing our guard as the risk reduces - but just like BVD eradication we need to make it hard for the virus to find a host to survive,” said Locke.
He warned that if rules were flouted or if markets were identified as Covid hotspots, these all-important sales disrupted – with disastrous consequences for the industry.
And he reminded sale goers that the current guidelines were clear and should be followed – for their own sake and the sake of others.
“If farmers and staff are careless then markets could be shut down, close contacts quarantined and businesses fined for breaking the regulations.
He also reminded farmers of the need to check out any symptoms – and to seek a test or self-isolate if any of those associated with the coronavirus were suffered.
If tests did prove positive, Locke said that people simply had to be both honest and thorough when asked for details of recent contacts.
“For business and health reasons take care as you mix at markets this autumn and do not forget biosecurity at home to keep yourself, staff and family safe,” he advised.