08 December 2020
The management of Amethyst Group are continuing to work closely with the Public Health team at Warwickshire County Council and Public Health England (PHE) Midlands, following 39 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among people working at the distribution centre in Wellesbourne. The company has acted on advice from public health partners to enhance infection control measures, and there have been no further positive cases notified.
Dr Mamoona Tahir, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control for PHE Midlands, said: “The management at Amethyst Group continue to work closely with public health professionals to protect the health and wellbeing of their workforce and wider public health. The individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 all isolated for at least 10 days, with their household members and other close contacts advised to self-isolate for 14 days – as per national guidance.
“Despite measures being put in place by the company to promote a Covid-secure working environment, a small number of cases were confirmed early in November. As a precaution, public health professions worked with the company to arrange testing for the whole workforce, which resulted in an increased number of asymptomatic cases being discovered. We have given management advice and support on further infection control measures, including wider use of PPE, dividing screens in appropriate areas, strategic division of workforce into bubbles which include household members and those who need to car share, improved signage in different languages, use of roaming cleaners throughout the day and hourly checks by Covid Champions. We are content that the management have taken action on all the advice given, including ensuring new agency joining at the start of December are tested as part of their induction. Public health partners will continue active surveillance and to support the company as necessary.”
Associate Director of Public Health, Warwickshire, Emily van de Venter said: “We have been monitoring the situation at the Amethyst Group over the last few weeks as part of our response to an outbreak which resulted in workforce testing in November. We are pleased to say no further cases have been identified as linked to the initial outbreak. This is due to the diligence of employees working on site and the swift action to implement additional controls by the business in partnership with PHE Midlands and Public Health Warwickshire to protect the health of the workforce.”
Allan Fosbrook, Sales Director for Amethyst Group, said: We are pleased that Public Health England and Warwickshire County Council have now concluded their visits to our Wellesbourne sites after identifying that we are continuing to enforce the preventative measures suggested by them following our testing of every staff members.
We will be diligent in ensuring that all three Wellesbourne warehouses continue to enforce every aspect of the recommendations in best practice to safeguarding our staff over the coming months.
For any further information, contact the Communications Team at Warwickshire County Council at: newsteam@warwickshire.gov.uk
