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Original poster

Covid outbreak of nearly 300 at m&s sandwich factory

76 replies

SistemaAddict · 13/08/2020 16:58

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.

OP posts:
Keepdistance · 13/08/2020 19:55

Interesting as we are told... That no point testing asymptomatic people who are in contact and yet they have managed to find all those people asymptomatic
I suggest they up the testing on contacts as other countries do. As so many people will have a lot more contacts in sept families linke d to multiple workplaces and schools.

Ellapaella · 13/08/2020 20:19

It's strange as the BBC reports that 'hundreds test positive' for coronavirus after factory outbreak in Northamptonshire but according to their own calculator there were only 19 positive cases in Northamptonshire this last week.
Where I live (NE England) we have had two outbreaks reported locally amongst staff at two different restaurants but the numbers reported in the news article doesn't match the numbers reported in the weekly calculator which is much much lower.

Covid outbreak of nearly 300 at m&s sandwich factory
2X4B523P · 13/08/2020 20:51

@Sistery

Hmmm I fear schools are the ‘sandwich factories’ of tomorrow. Guess we will find out.
I am sure schools will be fine, both BJ and GW have said so!
ChavvySexPond · 13/08/2020 21:05

@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
"When we tested those who were symptomatic, 87.5 percent turned out to be positive. When we tested a sample of people who weren’t symptomatic, it was 74.4 per cent. So we had to quarantine this group, and we did. We call this our “divine maneuver.” If we hadn’t done it from the very beginning, we’d be where the US is now, where Italy is now."

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.wired.com/story/a-south-korean-covid-19-czar-has-some-advice-for-trump/amp

glitterelf · 13/08/2020 21:06

Whilst they've had 292 positive cases they are still awaiting results for lots of the other staff. It's a well known fact here that lots of the workers at this factory use public transport often not adhering to wearing masks and lots car share and live in HMO.
Lots of the staff tested are agency workers whilst lots of the regular staff are still on furlough.

Northampton is already on the watch list and I highly suspect will be placed on local lockdown.

glitterelf · 13/08/2020 21:08

@Ellapaella This is a concern, wondering if it's because 70 odd went through NHS testing and the rest were tested by a private firm so we are waiting to see if the private firms figures are added.

Aquamarine1029 · 13/08/2020 21:15

I wonder what these 300 people have been up to over the past week/10 days. Pubs, restaurants, parties, etc. I wonder how many have been infected outside of the factory.

Ickabog · 13/08/2020 21:22

@Aquamarine1029

I wonder what these 300 people have been up to over the past week/10 days. Pubs, restaurants, parties, etc. I wonder how many have been infected outside of the factory.
This was my first thought. Especially if so many use public transport. I wonder how effective test and trace will be for such a large group of people.
thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 13/08/2020 22:04

Abuse of workers rights/poor working conditions have a hand in this. A similar company, Bakkavor (who supply Tesco, Sainsburys and M&S) were secretly filmed during a staff meeting threatening staff with job losses and implying people were lying about self isolating in April (And a quick Google shows they still have issues with covid amongst staff)

www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/09/manager-at-major-uk-food-supplier-says-staff-who-stay-at-home-may-be-sacked

Original poster
SistemaAddict · 13/08/2020 22:55

Outbreaks like this yet more places are due to open on Saturday such as soft play and beauty salons. And France is now on the quarantine list. Soft play is germ soup at the best of times. No way I'd be taking dc there now. Possibly never again as they made me feel icky before Covid. Possibly because our nearest one is grim. I'd have to decontaminate them afterwardsSad

OP posts:
SeekingCoffee33 · 14/08/2020 00:53

We were already on the watchlist in Northampton prior to this and I live five minutes drive away from the factory. Do you think it’s likely they would lockdown? Wouldn’t they have done that this evening if they were going to? Do we even know how long a local lockdown would last?

glitterelf · 14/08/2020 06:44

@SeekingCoffee33 unfortunately any action taken always comes too late. I'd assume there will be a meeting today to discuss what's going to happen. I'm also expecting an increase in cases as they are still waiting on some of the results.
Drove past this site this morning and could see a group of men all walking together not adhering to social distancing at all so it's no wonder there's a massive outbreak.

latticechaos · 14/08/2020 06:48

@Aquamarine1029

I wonder what these 300 people have been up to over the past week/10 days. Pubs, restaurants, parties, etc. I wonder how many have been infected outside of the factory.
If they have been infected outside the factory that would be even more worrying as it would suggest the virus is out of control in that part of the country.

What a depressing mess we are in. England in particular amongst the UK is really not handling it well.

latticechaos · 14/08/2020 06:49

Sorry, maybe I misread - you meant how much have the factory workers taken it out to the pubs etc? I read it as did they catch it in pubs.

glitterelf · 14/08/2020 07:10

I've just seen that there's actually 20 outbreaks in different settings in Northampton, Greencore being the biggest but there are outbreaks in other work places, 3 hospitals and in care homes. I cannot see how Northampton won't be locked down.

Pesimistic · 14/08/2020 07:26

@Givemeabreakpls

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 ☹️
And you were spot on
Elizabeth110100 · 14/08/2020 09:09

@SeekingCoffee33

We were already on the watchlist in Northampton prior to this and I live five minutes drive away from the factory. Do you think it’s likely they would lockdown? Wouldn’t they have done that this evening if they were going to? Do we even know how long a local lockdown would last?
I think we must live very near to each other! They've been threatening local lockdown for weeks but nothing seems to have come from it, just some extra measures (which I'm not too sure of what they are 😕). I don't think they'll lock down yet.. I think they'll see if they can trace all contacts of the workers and take it from there.
glitterelf · 14/08/2020 10:32

The council are meeting at 3pm today for a briefing.

SeekingCoffee33 · 14/08/2020 11:33

We probably do live quite close @Elizabeth110100. Are they? Perhaps that’s when they think they will have the other test results back from Greencore. Still waiting for 300 odd aren’t they?

SuperficialSuzie · 14/08/2020 12:05

Another local watching with interest. I really would not be surprised if Northampton goes into lockdown this weekend.

gemplusthree · 14/08/2020 13:55

Another in northampton and watching with interest.
Only advice I've seen is to reduce public transport use, avoid car sharing, wash hands and get tested. I think we have had testing sites in the town for about 3/4 weeks.
Northampton has been on the watch list for a few weeks now. I do wonder how much of the town will be covered by local lockdown

www.northamptonchron.co.uk/health/coronavirus/new-testing-centre-opens-northampton-today-after-greencore-outbreak-2942434

www.northamptonchron.co.uk/health/coronavirus/live-update-coronavirus-northampton-public-health-officials-weekly-press-conference-2942410
A couple of articles from the local paper.

SeekingCoffee33 · 14/08/2020 16:44

Haven’t said anything about the tests they are waiting for though have they?

PatriciaHolm · 14/08/2020 16:54

@Ellapaella

It's strange as the BBC reports that 'hundreds test positive' for coronavirus after factory outbreak in Northamptonshire but according to their own calculator there were only 19 positive cases in Northamptonshire this last week. Where I live (NE England) we have had two outbreaks reported locally amongst staff at two different restaurants but the numbers reported in the news article doesn't match the numbers reported in the weekly calculator which is much much lower.
That doesn't say 19 cases, it says 146 cases for the week Aug 2-8.

The 19 is cases per 100,000 population.

Northampton have announced another 233 in the official figures today.

Ellapaella · 14/08/2020 18:32

Thanks @PatriciaHolm - that makes more sense.

EdithWeston · 14/08/2020 18:47

It does rather show how quickly few cases can become a lot of cases