Markets get safety thumbs up from chief health officer

The state’s top medical adviser has reassured nervous shoppers that markets, such as the popular Milton Markets, are safe and should stay open.

File photo of the Milton Markets at last year’s Seasonal Flavours event. Markets can remain open and smaller crowds have made social distancing easier.

Markets will remain open and are safe for shoppers to attend, the state’s Chief Health Officer says.

This coronavirus article is unlocked and free to read in the interest of community health and safety. For full access to our journalism - and to download the digital edition of the newspaper as it is printed every day - subscribe here or couriermail.com.au/subscribe

After concerns markets could close following the crackdown on mass gatherings of 100 or more, Dr Jeannette Young issued a statement assuring the public that essential gatherings such as markets, including popular westside event the Milton Markets, would at this stage open for business as usual this weekend.

The Federal Government has deemed markets and supermarkets essential gatherings as people still need to buy food, and in many cases market stalls have been the only source of meat, bread, pasta and other staples due to panic buying in supermarkets.

Smaller than usual crowds have also meant social distancing is easy to practice.

“I wanted to reassure you that outdoor fresh fruit and vegetable markets, farmer’s markets, and other similar fruit and vegetable suppliers, can continue to remain open,’’ Dr Young said.

“Markets are a vital source of supply for fresh food to the public and we need these locations

to remain open.

“The risk of contracting COVID-19 while attending a market is low.

“We know that COVID-19 is most likely to spread from person to person if someone with the virus sneezes or coughs onto you, or someone with the virus coughed or sneezed onto a surface that you touch, and you get the infected droplets on your hands and then transfer them to your mouth, nose or eyes when you touch your face or eat.’’

Dr Young said that in a market environment people moved about and spent little time in static close contact, reducing the risk of the spread of COVID-19.

“All Queenslanders have a vital role to play in responding to this health event,’’ Dr Young said.

“I would urge all fresh food markets to remain open and accessible to the public.

“The sale of this food is an important part of responding to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“If fresh food markets need to close, then this advice will be provided by the Queensland and Commonwealth Governments as this situation unfolds.’’