Dr. David Nabarro:

I thank the Deputy. If we look at meat plants throughout the world, particularly industrialised meat plants where there is an abattoir at one end and the packs ready for the supermarket come out the other end, there do seem to be features of these settings that make Covid transmission particularly likely. The people who work there are often poor and may not necessarily have good access to healthcare. In Ireland this is less of a problem but in other countries it really is a big issue. Inside the plants people are quite densely together, the ambient temperature is low, it is noisy and they have to shout at each other to be heard and they have to get close. For some time, there were delays in getting necessary protective equipment to them. Where they change out of their work clothes into their home clothes may be a very condensed area and there may be close contact. Often they live in quite packed accommodation, especially if they are migrant workers, and they may share transport to and from work. I suggest that anybody working in meat and fish production look very carefully at all aspects of the production system from an infection control point of view and try to make sure that every action possible is taken. If this means there will have to be an increase in the price of meat then so be it because most consumers will understand if they have to pay a bit more for their joint of meat if it means that workers are kept healthy.