Finding Out In The Worst Way

at

Yesterday.

In the Dáil.

Independent TD Denis Naughten claimed that some employers are getting their employees’ Covid-19 test results and that these employers are telling their staff whether they are Covid-19 positive or negative.

Mr Naughten had been asking the Minister for Health Simon Harris about Covid-19 infection rates at meat plants when he made the claim. He was also talking about a delay in returning negative results.

He said:

“….negative results are being long-fingered for days and possibly weeks. In fact, the system is so bad that employers are being directly provided with a list of test results and they are the ones informing employees as to whether they are positive or negative for Covid-19. Will the Minister now confirm that medical data are being shared with employers before employees and explain to me why this is happening?”

Mr Harris said he didn’t know anything about employers receiving results, saying:

“I do not have any information about the issue of patients’ details going to their employers but I would be very happy to receive it and revert to the Deputy.”

Later, the Ceann Comhairle raised the matter with the minster and they had this exchange:

Ceann Comhairle: “Deputy Denis Naughten raised the point that information in respect of test results was going to employers before it went to those who had been tested. That would be fundamental concern to the public and needs to be addressed.”

Simon Harris: “As Deputy Denis Naughten has made that comment on the record of the House, I have asked him to provide the details.”

Denis Naughten: “It has happened in a number of instances across the country.”

Harris: “I do not have that detail so I do not intend to comment.”

Anyone?

Transcript via Oireachtas.ie

Naughten tells Dáil ‘contact tracing is so poor that employers informing staff’ (Longford Leader)

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9 thoughts on “Finding Out In The Worst Way

  1. SOQ

    Why is there such clusters in meat processing plants? I don’t mean just here but elsewhere too- very strange, especially as you would expect the hygiene standards to be much higher than most other workplaces.

    It may be a worker proximity issue but are they really that much closer together than other agri food processing plants?

    Or, is it something from the meat itself which is making people sick? That it is in someway interacting with other corona viruses which the animals had?

    1. dav

      You have low paid workers, living in multi occupancy homes who won’t be given sick pay if they catch covid. So they come in sick and therefore everybody else catches it = cluster.

    2. Hansel

      I’ve worked in a few SOQ.
      Just an OPINION but: the hours tend to be relatively antisocial (shift work type hours). They tend to be badly paid and effectively “live together”. There tends to be a lot of South Americans, making them a migrant community and they socialise and live together as a result. They share locker rooms and cleaning facilities.

      From a technical perspective they’re also in an air-sealed, chilled, dry environment and definitely no UV light. Maybe that’s a contributor too: viruses seem to like cold dry air, and it seems to affect people’s immunity.

      They’re the male equivalent of the Filipino nursing staff but working and in a big fridge together.

    3. SOQ

      Thanks dav and Hansel

      Both of you mention the no sick pay and living conditions but that is the same right across the agi sector- the put down of ‘paddy won’t work in…’ really means ‘paddy won’t work under those conditions’ of course.

      Just wondering why specifically meat is all- perhaps something to do with as Hansel suggests the low temperature as it appears to have a vampire quality about it and doesn’t like heat and sunlight, especially UV.

      From what I can see- bats, snakes, dogs, cats, tigers, minks, goats and ferrets have all tested for it but I can find nothing about cows. If it turns out that cows can carry it then that will be a huge wallop to the beef industry.

  2. Truth in the News

    Minister Harris has invoked wide powers under the 1947 Act, and its about time he
    employed them to deal with those who own and operate the meat processing sector
    there is also the issue of exposure to Veterinary and Dept Agriculture Staff who
    monitor these plants, who monitors the health of the employees and all people
    who frequent these facilities. …to fob off the question that had to be repeated to him
    smacks of arrogance, this so called caretaker. government have milked the crisis
    for political gain with over 2 months…..the Virus has not Gone Away and it might
    be best that Mr Harris went away:

  3. Formerly Known As @ireland.com

    In Melbourne, they called a staff meeting to tell everyone about the cluster. Not a good idea.

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