Mar 2nd, 2021
4 mins
The official Legal international definition of an outbreak is 2 linked cases, this is found in the attached link below:
If there is one than one case of COVID-19 associated with your workplace, you should contact your local PHE protection team to report the suspected outbreak.
Based on the legal definition above, the local PHE health protection team will then declare an outbreak in the setting, you will be asked to record details of symptomatic staff and assist with identification of contacts. You should therefore ensure all employment records are up to date. You will be provided with information about the outbreak management process, which will help you to implement control measures, assist with communications to staff, and reinforce prevention messages. The following link is used to identify your local health protection team:
Find your local health protection team in England – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The heath protection team will:
- undertake a risk assessment
- provide public health advice
- where necessary, establish a multi-agency incident management team to manage the outbreak
The team will request basic background information on your staff including numbers, shift patterns and rotas, details of your site and information on measures in place such as social distancing, hand hygiene and cohorting.
The team will assist you with contact tracing in the workplace and provide advice on self-isolation for staff, contacts and their households. They will also provide advice on infection prevention and control, cleaning, and any further control measures required. Depending on the size and/or spread of the outbreak, they may need to undertake wider testing of the workforce. You will be kept informed through the process.
To help you manage any identified outbreak, you will be sent a resource pack by your local PHE health protection team or local authority. This pack will provide you with information, practical advice and will include details of the roles and responsibilities of all the agencies involved in COVID-19 outbreaks in food businesses.
For more information on guidance for food businesses, see below link:
Guidance for food businesses on coronavirus (COVID-19) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
