P.E.I. beef plant providing COVID-19 rapid tests to staff after 3 test positive

Atlantic Beef Products has equipped all employees with home testing kits for COVID-19 and it says the strategy is working, after threestaff members tested positive in recent weeks one of them, on Tuesday morning as staff returned from holidays.

One office workerat the meat processing plant in Albany, P.E.I., tested positive before Christmas. Another worker on the production floor tested positive last week and is now is self-isolation. The third case a production worker who tested positiveTuesday was detected by rapid-test spot checks performed as staff returned to work from the New Years long weekend.

"So far we haven't had any further complications from the first one and we're very optimistic that there wasn't any supplementary infections from thesecond person," said Russ Mallard, president of Atlantic Beef Products, during an interview Monday with CBC News.

After the first case was detected, the company provided rapid test kits to its165 employees over Christmas and New Years, with instructions to self-test for COVID-19 before returning to work.The plant was open for three days last week.

As Omicron cases surge on P.E.I., Atlantic Beef is relying on the rapid tests and the vigilance of staff to help keep the virus at bay and the food-production facility functioning.

I hope it doesn't come to that, but if it does ... test to stay is definitelysomething that we're interestedin. Russ Mallard

"We're also doing spot checks when people arrive at work," said Mallard. "We're hoping that we can keep the possibility of any kind of a COVID-positive person in check."

There appears to have been no person-to-person transmission within the plant as a result of the two recent cases, according to Mallard. The third was detected before the worker started their shift. Mallard said the plant continues to be deep cleaneddaily,and food-handling operations continue to be monitored by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Mallard also said the positive result ofameat-packing worker did notcreate a food-borne health hazard.

"We're not too concerned about that particular person's job being around the product ... We're more concerned about airborne contact between workers in close proximity," said Mallard.

"That's what we work hard to prevent."

'We're doing what we can'

The new year has arrived with strange days ahead in many workplaces on P.E.I.The holidays may be over, but the pandemic is not.

VanKampens Greenhouses in Charlottetown wasopen for business Monday, while some other retailersremained closed for the statutoryholiday.

"We're doing what we can to disinfect surfaces ... just carrying on and not becoming lax," said operations manager Peter Meijer.

The majority of staff at the greenhouse were working away from public view in the sprawling production areas behind the retail area getting next spring's seedlings started.

January is typically a slow month for sales in the greenhouse business.Meijersaidthat may be a good thingas Omicron makes the rounds.

"Right now we've got to be willing to shift when people need time off and not let unexpected absences slow you down," said Meijer.

'We are essential service'

The beef plant is ringing in the new yearwith a good riddance to the last.

The plant relies heavily on temporary foreign workers, especially experienced meat cutters. Travel restrictions in 2021 made it even harder to find good help.

"We'd like to get our production back to where it was," said Mallard.

Self-testing by staff at Atlantic Beef only goes so far, according to Mallard. Results are not 100 per centreliable and presumptive positivesmust be confirmed by further lab analysis.

Mallard wants to use the province's test-to-staystrategy, as with health-care workers, in which people who have been exposed to COVID-19 may continueto work as long as they get tested daily and remainhealthy.

"We are essential service," said Mallard."I hope it doesn't come to that, but if it does ... test to stay is definitelysomething that we're interestedin."