[This article originally appeared on our Facebook page]
THE FIRST factory outbreak of corona virus in Wales is a really alarming development.
And some straight answers are now needed from the owners of the 2 Sisters chicken processing plant at Llangefni.
Yesterday, Public Health Wales confirmed that 58 workers at the plant – one of the main chicken suppliers to the UK market – had tested positive for the virus.
The plant, which employs 500 workers, has now closed for two weeks.
Initially, the company had responded constructively to the lockdown situation in Wales, introducing social distancing, marshalls and temperature testing on site.
With production able to continue more or less as usual.
But, now there are reports that a 100 workers were transferred recently to Llangefni from another of the company’s plants in Sandycroft near Chester.
If that is the case, then it’s more than possible that it is this new element in the mix which has lead to such a high number of new corona virus cases at the factory.
It’s also highly problematic, since such a move would presumably be in contravention of Welsh Law concerning travel and cross-border movement right now.
Seven Sisters need to address this claim immediately, and provide some straight answers for the general public.
It’s a very worrying scenario for all the workers, their families and the wider community on Ynys Mon, which has managed to keep the virus numbers low thus far.
We can only hope that the positively-tested workers will recover and that the factory can restart its work safely soon.
The incident is also concerning on an all-Wales level since up to now, the virus has mainly affected hospitals and care homes, and one particular age group.
It hasn’t generally appeared in any industrial settings to such a degree.
It’s just another huge headache for First Minister Mark Drakeford, wrestling with the big question of when and how to restart the crippled Welsh economy.
Questions all round for Seven Sisters and the Welsh Government therefore…
‘2 Sisters’, surely?!
Gah, you’re quite right. Correction made.
Easily done if you’ve lived for any extended time close to Cwm Nedd!