The Basque Government has published a protocol for action against the coronavirus (COVID-19) for the fishing fleet, agricultural and livestock farms, and the food industry, with the aim of protecting the health of its workers and ensuring the supply of safe and sufficient food during the state of health emergency. It includes organizational measures, cleaning and disinfection procedures for facilities, personal hygiene guidelines, and procedures to follow in case of suspected infection.
The Department of Economic Development and Infrastructure of the Basque Government has published a protocol of action that establishes procedures to minimize risks and prevent contagion by COVID-19 in the food industry.
The aim is to control the spread of the virus and maintain the functioning and operation of the food production and supply chain, while caring for and protecting the health of the people involved in it.
It calls for the co-responsibility of all agents in the food chain, companies and workers, to adapt and implement the COVID-19 protection recommendations contained in the document, which includes action protocols for fishing vessels, agricultural and livestock farms and food industries.
For the fishing industry, operational recommendations are included for both vessels and activities at fish markets and first-sale centers for fishery products. Access control measures for vessels and pre-boarding procedures are established, along with personal hygiene measures and vessel cleaning and disinfection protocols. In this regard, the periodic cleaning of frequently touched surfaces such as handles, switches, handrails, ladders, etc., is recommended, as well as the replacement, where appropriate, of cleaning agents with more effective alternatives.
Similarly, according to the characteristics of agricultural and livestock farms and food industries and their activities, control and organization measures are established, for example in access to facilities, in the cleaning and disinfection of environments and equipment, as well as in personal hygiene measures, especially with reference to hand washing and compliance with hygiene measures in food handling processes.
Procedure for cleaning potentially contaminated surfaces:
In all three protocols, the inactivation of the COVID-19 coronavirus indicates 5 minutes of contact with common disinfectants, taking into account:
- Always use freshly prepared dilution
- To achieve the recommended concentrations using commercial bleaches:
– Commercial bleach of 50g/L: add 25 mL of bleach to 1 liter of water.
– Commercial bleach of 40g/L: add 30 mL of bleach to 1 liter of water.
*For example, one "tablespoon" is equivalent to 15mL.
– On surfaces where bleach cannot be used, 70% ethanol will be used. - Workwear textiles must be machine-washed in complete cycles at 60-90°C. Gloves must be worn when handling soiled textiles. Do not shake the garments before washing.
Fountain: EnvironmentalHygiene.com
