Covid outbreak of nearly 300 at m&s sandwich factory

[SistemaAddict]

Coronavirus: Greencore staff self-isolate after outbreak www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-53762233

This has shocked me today that so many have tested positive at one place.

I feel like this will never end but I'm having a crap day today and feel pessimistic in general.

I do find it difficult to understand how contagious the virus is - there are stories like this and the camp in the US, which suggests it is madly contagious, and then you have families where some had it and some didn’t, when you would assume being in the same house, hugging, sharing bathrooms etc etc you would all be bound to get it.

It’s what it does

The vital thing is to smother each cluster

That means people really do need to isolate properly when asked to do so

I gather the daily infection figures won’t be released today owing to ‘technical difficulties’. I image they’d make for uncomfortable viewing if this 292 were part of today’s totals ☹️

@TinyMetalBirds

I do find it difficult to understand how contagious the virus is - there are stories like this and the camp in the US, which suggests it is madly contagious, and then you have families where some had it and some didn’t, when you would assume being in the same house, hugging, sharing bathrooms etc etc you would all be bound to get it.

It's the nature of viruses.

It's really good news that they are picking this up and hopefully it will all help to work out why factory outbreaks are happening.

The daily numbers of positive tests are going up a bit but these kind of clusters account for a fair proportion, random community transmission still doesn't seem to be indicating any kind of nationwide spiking in cases

I’d like to see how many of those are asymptomatic, It would give an idea of how many people are actually going about daily life spreading it without knowing

I think numbers like this are about testing. Proactive testing is picking up the mild/asymptomatic cases that otherwise we wouldn’t be aware of. Which is a good thing really.

It's the nature of viruses.

Is it? In what way? Genuinely interested, not sarky questions - I know nothing about epidemiology.

I presume this factory was cold too which certainly plays a role. It seems to spread more easily in cold environments.

@TinyMetalBirds

It's the nature of viruses.

Is it? In what way? Genuinely interested, not sarky questions - I know nothing about epidemiology.

I don't know the science behind it, but viruses are like that. You can have a big sudden outbreak in a workplace, for example, where a large number of people become ill and spreads like wildfire (a flu or stomach virus) but you can also have two people in the same household who don't get it despite being in close proximity.

@annabel85

I’m guessing that’s because not all people spread the virus equally. Many people will spread it to no one, while one person can spread it to 50. So-called superspreader events seem to play a large role in how this transmits.

I’m guessing low temperature also plays a role in these places?

It's the nature of viruses.

Often also perfect conditions for it to thrive in.

I presume this factory was cold too which certainly plays a role. It seems to spread more easily in cold environments

I'm sceptical about this, seeing a hot country like India has crazy rising cases.
I think it's more to do with the nature of food factories, what with the meat plants that had outbreaks too.
Probable not Social distancing and people who have no symptoms but don't know they have it working in close quarters.

Ebola exists in a dormant state( ? or infecting animals?) before it suddenly finds a mixture of hosts, spreaders and perfect conditions to spread. It's methods are extremely contagious.

I'm assuming it does also demonstrate that many people are asymptomatic but can still spread it. Can other viruses be asymptomatic too, like flu?

What's the incubation period for the flu or common cold? With Covid it can be up to a week or two.

299 tested positive out of a total workforce of 2100! It is good that the company were proactive and tested all their staff due to rising levels in the local area. It shows how quickly the infection rate can get out of hand. I'm sure Ocado and amazon are regularly testing their workforce and hopefully more employers will follow.

So the plant is still open despite the huge numbers testing positive - interesting implication for schools

And they are still waiting for between 300-400 results to come back so the figure could be higher...

Will Northampton go into local lockdown tonight?

I work in a factory. Mask wearing is too lax, people wearing them under their noses or using visors so high up on their faces as to be pointless. Factories are noisy, people get close to each other to talk. Plus they stand close together to work. Then there is the temperature thing...viruses tend to thrive in cold conditions. Still not sure if that applies to Covid19 though. Air conditioning... could be blowing it around? Where I work people who are concerned about the virus are mocked.

This worries me greatly in respect of schools opening in a few weeks. Dose 'em up with calpol seems standard among parents at our school. Diarrhoea? No problem off they go to school! Threw up their guts in the night? All fine now so off to school. This will be no different for some parents.
I picked up ds from nursery once and noticed immediately how flushed and hot he was. Got him home and his temperature was 39.8 an hour after calpol. School hadn't noticed so I don't have much faith in teachers to notice a child who shouldn't be in school if fever is the only symptom.

@Absolutelunacy

I’d like to see how many of those are asymptomatic, It would give an idea of how many people are actually going about daily life spreading it without knowing

I agree, the cluster in Aberdeen was identified through screening of asymptomatic footballers and an oil worker before he went offshore.

Does this mean they are spreading, and also does it mean that a huge proportion of people with the virus in their system don't actually become ill.

and also does it mean that a huge proportion of people with the virus in their system don't actually become ill.

Yes, I think that’s clear. Not so sure about whether these people spread, although I presume they do to some degree.

Superspreaders - i.e. mucky people who don't wash their hands