A food factory in Kildare has said it is suspending normal operations for two weeks after 86 employees tested positive for Covid-19.
statement from O’Brien Fine Foods, which specialises in meat products, said normal operations have been brought to a halt for the 14-day incubation period from August 4 to 18.
Management said in consultation with the HSE, its warehousing facility minimal operations will continue at “significantly reduced capacity levels to manage perishable goods.”
Dark cloud: Timahoe, Co Kildare, is coming to terms with restrictions announced as a result of a Covid-19 outbreak in the O’Brien Fine Foods plant. Photo: Steve Humphreys
Further employee testing will be carried out on days 7 and 14 and only employees who test negative and meet public health guidelines in full will return to work.
The company said it will continue to pay all staff in full.
It added that in line with public health guidance, once processing operations are fully recommenced, staff will undergo testing at 14 day intervals.
Arrangements will be put in place for the safe transportation of all employees to and from work to lessen the risk of transmission.
The factory suspended all processing operations at it Timahoe facility last Wednesday after 80 of its employees tested positive for Covid-19.
Testing on a further 42 employees was carried out on Thursday with six staff testing positive for Covid-19.
A spokesperson said: “Those who have tested positive have been advised to isolate as per the official guidance. Full risk assessment and contract tracing procedures is continuing. All close contacts of those affected are being notified, advised to self-isolate and to contact their GP.
“Since the first cases of COVID-19 were identified in Ireland last February, we have operated with an abundance of caution and safety.
“In consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE), we have taken what we believe was the most responsible actions at all times, putting a rigorous health and safety policy in place, testing all employees, undertaking a further deep clean of the facility, and ultimately suspending processing operations.”
It comes as counties Kildare, Offaly and Laois were put under lockdown following a surge of Covid-19 cases there.
From midnight on Saturday, those living in the three counties have to restrict their movements and there will be garda checkpoints around Kildare, Offaly and Laois.
Announcing the measure on Friday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he felt for the impacted counties Kildare, Laois and Offaly, but said they the have the support of Ireland behind them as the nation fights the virus.
Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn later told a Covid-19 briefing that the three counties would be locked down for two weeks.
“This situation is really rapid, an awful lot can happen in 24 hours, nevermind two weeks,” Dr Glynn said.
“We hope to be in a much better place in two weeks but we can’t guarantee it.”
Meanwhile, one further death linked to Covid-19 and 174 new cases were reported by the Department of Health on Saturday.
Of the latest cases, the majority (110) are located in Kildare, followed by Dublin (seven), Cork (seven), Offaly (seven) and six in Meath.
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