Swift action to suppress a Covid outbreak at a Perthshire chicken factory may have helped avoid an Aberdeen-style lockdown.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed there was no evidence of widespread community transmission from the upsurge in cases at the 2 Sisters plant in Coupar Angus.
The Courier understands this has prevented the need for tougher restrictions, such as the measures imposed on the Granite City following a cluster centred on pubs and restaurants.
The number of positive cases linked to the factory has risen to 152, including 134 employees and 18 of their community contacts.
The George Street site has been closed until the end of the month, and all 900 staff and everyone else in their households – including children – have been told to isolate, even if they test negative for the virus.
Coronavirus cases linked to Coupar Angus chicken factory rises to 152
Council crews have delivered more than 700 food parcels to workers in their homes across the Perth and Kinross patch.
Local authority leader Murray Lyle said: “The fact that there has been no evidence of a transmission into the community is very important, and that’s the reason why we are not facing a lockdown like the one in Aberdeen.
“It’s a different sort of outbreak and it demands a different response.”
Mr Lyle revealed that the council’s chief executive Karen Reid called for the factory to closed on the night of Sunday, August 16 after a small number of cases were detected.
There was some concern that the “stay indoors” message was not getting through to workers at the factory, where a total of 17 languages are spoken.
Over the weekend, police have been dealing with reports that some employees have been visiting local shops, despite being told to only leave their homes to take a test.
It is understood a small number of workers had also taken children to school, not realising everyone in their homes was required to isolate.
Teachers made arrangements for the children to be sent home.
Aberdeen-style Tayside lockdown not currently on the cards as Coupar Angus cluster grows
Mr Lyle said sightings reported to the police appeared to be “misunderstandings rather than anything more nefarious”.
He said: “We have printed information packs in 16 languages to get the message across as clearly as possible.
“I think there was some confusion about sending children to schools, and there were also some who didn’t understand why they had to stay inside after testing negative.
“But we seem to be getting the message across.”
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In the past week, nearly 3,500 tests have been carried out across Tayside, with 1,000 of these at two temporary units set up especially for factory workers in Coupar Angus and Dundee.
Dr Emma Fletcher, Associate Director of Public Health for NHS Tayside, said: “Today’s increase in numbers was anticipated by the team managing the outbreak as the high volume of contact tracing, which was under way over the weekend, has now been largely complete.
“We are seeing fewer, new cases today for follow-up, however detailed contact tracing continues and we remain in a high state of vigilance across Tayside.”
On Friday, Police Scotland promised to monitor incidents of hate crimes linked to the factory outbreak. It followed widespread online abuse aimed at workers of eastern European origin.
Local Chief Inspector Graham Binnie said on Monday: “No direct reports have been made to police, however we are continuing to monitor the situation and any potential community tensions.
“We are well aware of the impact and harm this kind of behaviour can have on individuals and communities.”
During her daily briefing, Ms Sturgeon stressed that guidance for 2 Sisters staff and their households remains in place.
She added there is currently no evidence that the virus has spread to other food processing plants in the Tayside patch.
Fourteen of Scotland’s 66 new coronavirus cases, recorded from Sunday into Monday, were in Tayside.
