787 Covid-19 cases in food businesses

According to the Siptu trade union, 90% of meat factory workers have no sick pay, and many of them with Covid symptoms cannot afford to miss work. File Picture. 

Since mid-November, 787 cases of Covid-19 have been detected in meat or poultry production and processing facilities, and 219 in other food or beverage production and processing facilities.

Other than “commercial” premises, with 300 laboratory confirmed cases linked to outbreaks, the food businesses have been the workplaces worst hit by the pandemic, according to the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

However, HPSC statistics show nursing homes are the worst hit facilities, with 6,485 cases.

And 1,907 cases were laboratory confirmed in acute hospitals. Residential centres for disabilities were also hard hit, with 974 cases.

And HPSC figures for Covid-19 outbreaks in settings involving vulnerable populations indicate 1,335 cases among Irish Travellers, from mid- November to mid-February.

Other categories with high numbers of cases are 571 in childcare facilities, 567 in children or staff in schools, and 518 in community hospitals or long stay units.

The high number of workplace cases in meat plants has led to calls for sick pay for meat factory workers.

According to the Siptu trade union, 90% of meat factory workers have no sick pay, and many of them with Covid symptoms cannot afford to miss work. 

Greg Ennis of Siptu has also called for support for migrant meat workers to quarantine properly whenever they return to Ireland.