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Greencore's Covid 19-positive workers 'huge disaster' says council leader

BBC Greencore, NorthamptonBBC
Greencore workers who have tested positive for coronavirus have been told to self-isolate

An outbreak of Covid-19 at a factory where almost 300 workers tested positive is a "huge disaster" for the town, a council leader has claimed.

Those that tested negative at Greencore in Northampton, which makes sandwiches for M&S, will be retested next week.

Officials said the outbreak was due to behaviours outside of work such as car sharing and socialising.

Jonathan Nunn, leader of Northampton Borough Council, said it was of "national significance".

He said: "I believe if we follow guidelines as stringently as we can, we can still avoid a lockdown.

"Let's be absolute honest the [Greencore] outbreak is absolutely dreadful."

The Conservative councillor said it was "a huge disaster with the impact it's had on our [coronavirus] statistics"

'Down to education'

A total of 292 people have tested positive from Greencore in Northampton, revised down from 299 yesterday.

Director of Public Health for Northamptonshire Lucy Wightman said the fall was due to some positive results "erroneously" assigned to the factory and "some duplication".

She said all test results had now come back but "a local decision" had been made to retest the 927 that tested negative.

Mrs Wightman said the Food Standards Agency and Public Health England "are assured there is no risk to any of the produce" from Greencore.

Lorry
Greencore produces sandwiches for M&S at its factory in Northampton

Bakers' union regional officer George Attwall blamed workers' activities outside the factory for the outbreak.

He said: "It boils back down to education."

Mr Attwall, of The Bakers and Allied Food Workers Union, said there were "lots of members car-sharing, lots of members are living in the same household with the whole family working in the factory".

He said there had been "some barbecues with the sun coming out", although he later said those had been held by "the management" not workers.

A spokesman for Greencore, which employs 2,100 people, said it would not be closing the factory.

In May, the union put in a formal grievance against the company, which it said failed to tell staff after a manager tested positive for Covid-19.

A spokesman for M&S said it could not comment on individual suppliers.