Fears virus spreading through abattoirs could lead to regional spikes

Recent coronavirus clusters in meat processing facilities are of real concern for regional towns and the supply chain, writes Ed Gannon.

ONE of the most worrying trends of the coronavirus pandemic is its spread through abattoirs.

It seems an eon since the virus swept through Cedar meatworks in Brooklyn in the first wave of COVID-19 in early May.

At the time questions were raised about the Government’s preparedness for such an event, specifically what plan it had to ensure such facilities could continue working in the event of an outbreak.

It seems the policy is a work in progress.

In the past week the virus has hit six Victorian abattoirs with more than 110 positive cases.

There are 60 cases linked to Somerville Retail Services in Tottenham and 38 linked to JBS Australia in Brooklyn. Both these plants have shut.

The JB Swift plant has shut at least until the end of the month, with 1200 workers now considered close contacts of the infected workers.

There is at least one case at Pacific Meat Sales in Thomastown and one case at Australian Food Group in Laverton North, with both plants closed.

DHHS staff failed to alert Australian Food Group that a worker tested positive, with the company making its own decision to shut the abattoir.

But it is the spread into regional Victoria that is raising considerable concern.

Both Midfield Meats in Warrnambool and the Australian Lamb Company in Colac shut this week.

Thirteen cases of coronavirus have been linked to the Australian Lamb Company, with the site shut for at least 14 days, under DHHS orders.

But it is the case of Midfield that is the most curious.

Midfield Meats said an inspector was on site in Warrnambool last week who had “close contact” with staff at the Australian Lamb Company.

There have been no cases detected at Midfields, but it made the decision to close, at least for a few days.

Said Midfield Meats spokesman Dean McKenna: “We made the decision to close. The health department told us in writing to work as normal but we chose not to work, as it was not clear who the inspector had been in contact with.”

These cases raise the issue of how much a positive case should disrupt an essential service such as a meatworks.

Industry has advocated that workers should work in teams, so the team can be isolated if a member is tested positive, the area cleaned, and the rest of the plant can continue to operate.

That structure was clearly not in place, or did not work, at the plants closed.

In Midfield’s case it is probably unclear who the buyer came into contact with, as he was an “outsider” beyond the control of management.

This is a minefield, and could get worse. Abattoirs appear ripe for the virus to prosper, with employees standing shoulder to shoulder for hours on end, a cold, wet environment believed to be conducive to spreading the virus, and ad hoc mask wearing due to the noisy workplace requiring shouting and the projection of saliva, a major spreading agent of the virus.

The real fear is that abattoirs are now a stalking horse for the virus to spread to until-now relatively untouched regional areas, a crippling notion we hope does not eventuate.