Friday, 26 February 2021 10:29

'Prioritise Covid-19 vaccinations for meat industry workers'

Written by Staff Reporters
Rate this item
(1 Vote)
The Meat Industry Association says the Government needs to prioritise meat workers for the Covid-19 vaccine. The Meat Industry Association says the Government needs to prioritise meat workers for the Covid-19 vaccine.

The meat processing and exporting industry is calling on the government to prioritise its workforce for Covid-19 vaccinations.

Sirma Karapeeva, chief executive of the Meat Industry Association (MIA), said the processing sector was recognised as a high-risk industry for transmission of Covid-19 due to the large number of people working closely together.

“Australia and the United States have already prioritised meat processing workers for vaccination because Covid-19 spread extremely rapidly in processing plants,” Karapeeva says.

She says that research from the United States found processing plants were prime places for transmission, accelerating the spread of the virus into the surrounding population.

“The New Zealand red meat industry took decisive action to proactively develop and implement safety protocols, which provide guidance and a minimum standard to enable our processors to continue safely operating.

“However, there is no room for complacency.”

Karapeeva says it is imperative that the industry fortify its first line of defence, to safeguard the wellbeing of its workers as well as the sector’s contribution to the New Zealand economy.

She says that most processors have nurses on site or arrangements with local medical centres and are therefore well equipped to quickly undertake a large scale vaccination programme.

Read 4798 times

The Hound

Why?

OPINION: A mate of yours truly wants to know why the beef schedule differential is now more than 45-50 cents…

Fat to cut

OPINION: Your canine crusader understands that MPI were recently in front of the Parliamentary Primary Sector Select Committee for an…

» Connect with Rural News

Popular Reads

Flow begins after 25 years!

A worsening drought in the northern South Island has seen the newly built Waimea Community Dam – in the hills…