The states and territories of Australia have been vigilant at stopping the spread of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. As a result, Australia is fairing well in its battle against the coronavirus and case counts remain relatively low. Despite this, Australians must continue to follow COVID-19 safety protocols since COVID-19 cases can spike and outbreaks can happen. There is also the threat of the new COVID-19 variants which are popping up in different regions. The rise of COVID-19 cases or outbreaks of new variants can quickly cause rolling lockdowns to occur in order to curb the spread. These lockdowns have significant impacts on the food industry and food businesses, which have been one of the hardest hit during the pandemic.
In order to keep COVID-19 cases low and help prevent further lockdowns, it is important to have the most up-to-date facts on COVID-19. There are still many questions surrounding COVID-19 and its relation to food safety, especially with the new variants. The following are the most frequently asked questions about COVID-19 and the safety measures that must be followed. It is essential that the measures are followed in order to stop the spread of any COVID-19 variation, other infections and for food safety in general.
COVID-19 spreads through the respiratory system. The main way of transmission is directly from person to person through infected droplets of saliva or mucus. Individuals are most contagious when they are symptomatic (e.g. coughing, sneezing, fever). This is why mandatory masks and physical distancing have been implemented in food businesses in order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. If staff and customers are not within close proximity to each other, there is less chance of infected droplets being touched or inhaled. Learn more about the symptoms of COVID-19 and remember what to look out for with the AIFS COVID-19 Symptoms Poster.
First, it is important to understand what ‘viral load’ means. Viral load is the amount of virus particles in a given volume of liquid. A higher viral load, combined with longer exposure time, means that there is a stronger chance of being infected with COVID-19. Currently there is no conclusive evidence on the amount of viral load needed to cause an infection of COVID-19. However, the higher the viral load of a droplet and the closer it is to a route of infection (eyes, mouth, nose), the higher the probability of being infected. This is why personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face masks and face shields are vitally important for use in food businesses. Learn more about personal protective equipment types and usage with the AIFS PPE for Food Workers Fact Sheet.
There has been a lot of research done on COVID-19 and how long it stays on surfaces. There is still no conclusive answer to this question, however, early research indicates that it can be airborne for up to 3 hours and survive on copper for up to 4 hours, cardboard for up to 24 hours and on stainless steel and plastic for up to 3 days. This is why cleaning and sanitising have been an important part of reducing the spread of COVID-19. Read our blog about cleaning and sanitising protocols to prevent COVID-19 for more information.
Washing hands properly with warm, running water and soap is the most effective way to kill the coronavirus and stop its spread. This is why it is vital that all staff in a food business wash their hands frequently using the correct hand washing method. This is not only important for preventing COVID-19 infections, but it is also a food safety requirement. Download the AIFS Hand Washing Poster and place it in hand washing areas to remind all staff of the proper technique.
Hand sanitiser is being used more frequently in food businesses in order to help staff stay on top of hand hygiene. Unfortunately, hand sanitiser is not as effective as washing hands with warm, running water and soap. Food businesses must encourage all staff to wash their hands using the proper technique rather than using hand sanitiser. Hand sanitiser should only be used as a last resort. Not only is this a best practice, but it also reduces the risk of chemical contamination of food from hand sanitiser. Read our blog on comparing hand washing to hand sanitiser for more information.
When it comes to infection control and prevention, it's important to understand the how viruses and food interact. Here are some of the main questions about food safety and COVID-19.
Currently, there is no conclusive evidence that shows COVID-19 lasts on food. What is known, however, is that COVID-19 survives better on surfaces that are non-porous such as metal and plastic. It is also important to remember that COVID-19 is not a food-borne pathogen that is spread through food and causes food-borne illness.
According to the CDC, there is no evidence that a person can contract COVID-19 through food, or that COVID-19 is spread through touching food.
Food businesses must keep COVID-19 safety protocols top-of-mind in order to navigate the pandemic and operate safely. The following are some key things that food businesses should be aware of:
Cleaning and sanitising is essential for keeping staff and customers safe and reducing the spread of COVID-19. This is one of the main things food businesses need to be doing, even if there are only a small amount of COVID-19 cases in their area.
Download the AIFS 7 Steps to Cleaning & Sanitising Poster and place it in key areas in your food business. This will help to keep the 7 steps to cleaning and sanitising top-of-mind.
Physical distancing is another important measure food businesses must take to keep staff and customers safe. Food businesses must know how to enforce physical distancing and ensure that the measures are in place at all times. Read our blog on implementing physical distancing in food businesses for more information.
Food businesses can sterilise packaging if desired, however it can be a time-consuming process. There are also other ways that food businesses can keep staff safe from COVID-19 when dealing with food packaging. Packaged dry goods can be set aside in another room and not touched for 24 hours. Packaged food for the refrigerator or freezer can be removed from packaging and put into clean containers that are labelled and dated. Be sure to wash hands after handling packaged products. These small steps can take the already small risk of contracting COVID-19 from packaging and reduce the risk even more.
Food businesses should take extra precautions when receiving deliveries from suppliers. It is important to ensure that physical distancing is maintained between delivery personnel and staff receiving the deliveries. Also, ensure that staff members are wearing personal protective equipment when receiving deliveries. Food businesses can also work with their suppliers to find other ways to reduce contact and maintain physical distancing. For example, some suppliers are providing digital delivery receipts and accepting digital signatures.
Currently Environmental Health Officers are visiting food businesses to conduct compliance audits. The most common compliance issues that have been found to date are not taking proper COVID-19 precautions such as a lack of PPE for staff, a lack of physical distancing protocols and unsanitary conditions. Food businesses must ensure that they are following COVID-19 safety protocols in order to remain open and not face fines.
Food businesses should be prepared for another shutdown, especially if their state or territory is experiencing a growth in COVID-19 case numbers.
Food businesses must have a plan in place should they have to shut down again. This includes having a plan in place for the food that will not be able to be used and sold. Download the AIFS Pre-closure Checklist to ensure that your food business is ready should you need to close down temporarily.
Food businesses must be prepared for the unfortunate possibility of a staff member falling ill with COVID-19. Should this happen, food business owners/managers must act fast. First, call your local health authorities for next steps. Next, inform all employees about the possible exposure to COVID-19. All staff members that had direct contact with the ill staff member must isolate and get tested for COVID-19. It is also important to discard all possibly contaminated food immediately. Be sure to clean and sanitise all surfaces and items that the affected person may have come into contact with. Lastly, stop serving customers until you have clearance from local health authorities.