CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

Social Distancing is a rule not just guidance.

Put your staff first and show them that you are serious about their safety.
On 23 March the Scottish Government working closely with the UK Government, stepped up measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus and save lives.
All non-essential premises must now close.
Takeaway and delivery services may remain open and operational in line with earlier guidance on Friday 20 March. Online retail is still open and encouraged, and postal and delivery services will run as normal.

Retail and public premises which we expect to remain open must:

• Ensure a distance of two meters between customers and shop assistants and take equivalent measures to protect.
their workforce consistent with fair work principles.
• Let people enter the shop only in small groups, to ensure that spaces are not crowded.
• Ensure queue control consistent with social distancing advice outside of shops and other essential premises that remain open.

All individuals and businesses that are not being specifically required to close should consider a key set of questions- and at all times work on the precautionary basis:

• Is what you do essential or material to the effort against the virus or to the wellbeing of society?
• if so, can your staff work from home?
• if not, can you practise safe social distancing and comply with ALL other standard health and safety requirements.

If the answer to none of the above questions is yes, our advice on a precautionary basis is to close.

Business Advice Support

What do I do if one of my employees believes they may have or has tested positive for COVID-19?

Food business managers and employees should follow guidance from Health Protection Scotland (HPS) on appropriate actions to take if someone has become unwell and / or has tested positive for COVID-19. Managers should also contact their Local Authority Environmental Health department and consult the NHS Inform website for any additional advice that may be required.

If an employee is confirmed to have COVID-19, employers should consider the need to inform other staff who may have come into contact with the infected individual whilst maintaining confidentiality.

While infection prevention and control is the key priority to ensure appropriate actions are taken to protect other workers and people who might have come in contact with employees who have presented with symptoms of COVID-19, food businesses should also consider the need for additional cleaning and disinfection procedures which are important in managing the cross contamination risks associated with all viruses and bacteria.
Cleaning and disinfection procedures should be in line with food hygiene practice and the environmental controls set out in the business's Food Safety Management (FSMS) or HACCP plan. If these normal controls are correctly implemented in conjunction with the infection prevention and control measures advised by Health Protection Scotland, it is unlikely that COVID-19 can spread through food or food packaging and no further action needs to be taken.

The Scottish Craft Butchers office in Perth is now closed following government guidelines.
We will be available to our members to answer any queries via email or by mobile phone and will be available out of office hours for any members wanting to contact us.

Our contact details are below
Gordon King: – [email protected] 07917524313
Bruce McCall: [email protected] 07834490922
Claire Simpson: – [email protected] 07926332977