Environmental Health Officers have been involved with helping contain a number of coronavirus clusters across Scotland.
They have been supporting Incident management teams, providing support and guidance to businesses to make sure they comply with regulations, contacting premises who have had a confirmed case as well taking a central role on the Test and Protect approach.
In Perthshire, the 2 Sisters food processing plant in Coupar Angus has been closed on Monday 17 August after four members of staff tested positive for the virus. All workers were asked to self-isolate for two weeks and get tested.
An incident management team is working with the Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland and local environmental health teams to provide advice and support.
Meanwhile in the central belt in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have released statements on a cluster in North-East Glasgow, with a number of cases whom are pupils at Bannerman High School in Baillieston.
NHSGGC has confirmed that there is no evidence of transmission within the schools themselves. Local environmental health staff are working closely with the schools and a number of other local businesses to contact trace any close contacts of the cases and appropriate advice is being advice given to these individuals.
In Aberdeen, a timeline has been set out for lifting the local lockdown with restaurants, pubs, casinos and other hospitality premises, being able to open from Wednesday 26 August. The premises are only allowed to open once an environmental health check has been completed. Hospitality business owners are being now being urged to get in touch with Aberdeen City Council if they have not already had an environmental health check.
These examples show some of the hard work that Environmental Health are providing to help us keep safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
