
NEW VARIANT UPDATE 30.12.20
On a call today Professor John Simpson provided a quick update on the new Covid-19 variant. As has already been reported the new variant is far more infectious which is driving the higher number of cases in the South East and London. He stressed that in order to combat this it was essential all businesses re-enforce the need to social distancing using the 2-meter rule, combined with all the other protocols around PPE and keeping cohorts separate. They are is discussion with the HSE to see if further guidance is required. One major retailer on the call advised that absenteeism is the South East and London had now gone up to 20% and was still increasing through a mixture of Covid-19 cases and those told to self-isolate through the Track & Trace system. The BFFF will monitor the situation and if new guidance is released by HSE we will advise members.
As a reminder if any member wishes to be involved in the mass testing processes for production and / or distribution sites they should contact Carla Brown and she can put them in contact with the relevant Govt dept.
Over the last couple of days, we have heard of a new variant of Covid-19 which transmits more easily than the previous one, in fact, some have quoted an increased transmission of 70%.
In guiding its members through the pandemic BFFF sits on many industry working groups, it has been highlighted recently that some companies have now seen increased cases over the last 24 hours, this pattern has also been reinforced by other trade associations.
In line with government guidelines, we urge our members and the wider industry to be vigilant and to review and reinforce your Covid control measures in light of this new information. This includes reiterating the basics in terms of social distancing and hygiene. It is also important to review measures for those vulnerable employees. In response to the new variant, one major retailer has instructed its employees not to move between tiers.
The new variant caused alarm because it involved 23 separate mutations, 17 of which were linked to the building blocks of proteins that form the virus. This was first spotted in Kent and due to the UK’s surveillance system scientists have said. The Covid-19 Genomics Consortium (Cog-UK) has tracked the genetic history of more than 150,000 samples of Sars-Cv-2 virus. That equates to about half the world’s genetic sequencing of coronavirus.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/covid-19-sars-cov-2-information-about-the-new-virus-variant