INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION GIANT INTRODUCES STRICT GUIDELINES ALONG WITH RAFT OF INFECTION CONTROL MEASURES TO REDUCE EXPOSURE RISK TO STAFF

PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND: AT THIS PHASE OF THE PANDEMIC WE WOULD EXPECT TO SEE CASES WITHIN WORKFORCES AND THE COMMUNITY

WORKERS caught up in a Covid-19 spike of cases after five people shared a car journey from Leicester to a North Warwickshire business park employing thousands of people have been urged to avoid the practice "unless absolutely necessary".

Motor industry giant Euro Car Parts has told employees to find another way into work after seven people are thought to have contracted the potentially deadly virus this week.

The international distributor is said to be "fully co-operating" in supporting Public Health England as it assesses what further steps are needed following the outbreak.

PHE confirmed a "cluster of cases" as the virus is thought to have been passed through the community from the wife of one of the car occupants – subsequently infecting all five workers and another partner. Other employees are now self-isolating.

The spike, which was not made public until revealed by Nub News yesterday, raised concerns for Atherstone and North Warwickshire at large as 38 per cent of 6,500 employees at the Birch Coppice industrial complex are said to live within five miles of the former pit site.

It is understood that Public Health England has notified Atherstone-based North Warwickshire Borough Council of the incidents.

And a spokesperson for LKQ Euro Car Parts, which alerted the health authorities immediately of the incidents, told Nub News today: "In line with government guidelines, we urge our employees not to car share unless absolutely necessary.

"None of the affected employees have been on our site since exhibiting symptoms, and anyone that came into contact with them is now self-isolating, in line with government guidance.

"We recognise our responsibility to support Public Health England in its work to help control local infections and have been in close dialogue with them since."

Sources aware of the situation raised concerns that PHE should have instituted immediate urgent mobile testing at the huge car parts distrubutor and elsewhere at the Birch Coppice industrial complex.

But, in response while confirming a "small number" of coronavirus cases, Public Health England said it was treating the incidents as a "cluster originating from the wider communities, rather than an outbreak within the workplace".

In a statement it added: "In line with NHS guidance, any affected individuals are being asked to self-isolate at home for seven days, with members of their households to isolate for 14 days.

"Public health partners are working closely with management to assess actions to be taken and any further measures needed to ensure working practices are as safe as possible.

PHE Dr Mamoona Tahir, in re-iterating the view a cluster of cases with infection was coming from outside the company, said: "At this phase of the pandemic, we would expect to see cases within workforces and the community, as lockdown restrictions have continued to be relaxed.

"Over the last couple of weeks there have been a small number of cases at Euro Car Parts, but the evidence suggests there is no outbreak at the company – that is, there is not an issue with transmission within the company."

The management at Euro Car Parts – which employs around 1,000 key workers – is "cooperating fully with public health professionals to protect the health and wellbeing of their workforce", added the PHE Midlands consultant in communicable disease control.

The company has put a range of infection control measures in place to reduce the risk of staff being exposed to Covid-19.

Measures include promoting social distancing in the warehouses, offices, communal canteen and smoking areas; providing PPE for staff who must occasionally work closer than two metres together for certain tasks; encouraging regular handwashing for at least 20 seconds; and promoting the use of face masks, including for use by those staff members whose only method to get to work is to car share with another colleague.

A source told Nub News yesterday: "If Public Health England want to get on top of this outbreak, you would have expected them to say let's bring in mobile testing and to tell Euro Car Parts to stop car-sharing.

"Euro Car Parts is an international distributor of car parts to hundreds of garages across the country. It seems that car-sharing was going on against Government guidelines.

"There has been no publicity from Public Health England or Euro Car Parts about the fact that there has been this outbreak. There is surely a balance to be struck between over-reacting and notifying the public that there has been an outbreak.