“We understand that Woolworths has actually had preliminary discussion with the ADF about what to do in the event there is some kind of coronavirus — not outbreak, but even if one person were to test positive at one of the four distribution centres here in South Australia that supply the IGAs, the Foodlands, the Coles, the Woolworths. There’s four of them and each employ about 200 people.
“Apparently there’s been preliminary talks with the ADF about having them on standby to step in in the event that one of those distribution centres should have to go into isolation on account of a staff member there falling ill… it is a pretty wild pointer to the times that we’re living in, the prospect that you could have soldiers helping to distribute and restock our supermarkets…
“It’s dramatic stuff but if it means that we are able to keep restocking our shelves then it is good that this level of foresight and advance planning is in place.”
