DEEP SCRATCH

Tag: Health And Safety

  • An Open Letter To The Dutch Government, Health Ministry And Farm Ministry.

    “Europe has an estimated 2750 mink farms and produces more than 27 million pelts per year.–Marion Koopmans.

    Close the fur farms now, gesloten!
    Track trace and isolate every single mink mutation immediately
    Why have you not closed the farms and culled the Mink?
    Based on what is happening in Denmark
    What happened in May in Holland!
    Why are ANY mink farms open? How, why?
    Who’s responsible
    Who’s irresponsible?
    Ms. Schouten can you hear me?

    Why are so many awful Mink farms here
    In the first place?
    Why does Holland lead Mink trade
    To supply demand for China?
    How do you allow it in the first place
    Before the Mink-Human Covid
    Chimera outbreak?

    I’m outraged at the Dutch government and
    Health authority and Farm Ministry for a lack of
    Responsibility toward this. Protect the people?

    Do you understand the danger here?
    Besides the cruel trade in itself
    You could be helping Covid19 mutate and
    Spread, a mutation that may not be
    Suppressed by the vaccine
    Herd immunity is out the window again.

    Your unwillingness to act until Spring 2021
    Reflects on your selfish collective failure, again.
    Your inability to mandate masks
    Has led to more death
    Self inflated exceptionalism endangers all.

    Note, Mink are traded LEGALLY in Holland
    For their pelts, you monsters condone this?
    What kind of slave-trade mentality?

    I’m angry not because you’re irresponsible 
    Toward the health of your Dutch subjects, but
    That the mutating virus could spread
    To the rest of the planet. We just don’t know.
    But YOU claim to know better, Mr. Rutte. 

    “Despite enhanced biosecurity, early warning surveillance and immediate culling of infected farms, transmission occurred between mink farms in three big transmission clusters with unknown modes of transmission.”B. Oude Munnink.

    –Thelonious Mink.

    P.s I’d be willing to work with responsible individuals toward helping solve this massive public health crisis. Starting with a team to begin lobbying for the culling and closure, permanently, of all Mink farms anywhere! But I’ll probably end up working at Feebo. Oh well, happy holidays. 

    “Legislation is being prepared to close all mink farms early on in 2021. This is stated in a letter to Parliament dated 11 November.” – https://www.wur.nl/en/Research-Results/Research-Institutes/Bioveterinary-Research/show-bvr/COVID-19-detected-on-two-mink-farms.htm

    From Dutch News: “So far farm minister Carola Schouten has resisted calls for a mass cull of all mink on Dutch fur farms, even though scientists said in September that at least 66 fur farm workers and their family members have been infected with coronavirus. The team used genome sequencing to trace the spread of the virus between mink, cats and humans and found that 66 people and 11 cats all had a ‘mink variety’ of the virus.”

    https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2020/11/dutch-mink-farms-in-spotlight-again-after-mutant-covid-virus-found-in-denmark/

    “Mink belong to the Mustelidae family, which includes ferrets that have been used as an animal model owing to their susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2.6 Efficient transmission between ferrets has been shown in experimental infections, with spread to naive animals through direct contact but also through indirect airborne spread.7 According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Europe has an estimated 2750 mink farms and produces more than 27 million pelts per year. As farmed minks are kept in large groups and housed in pens in wire cages with bedding that generates a lot of dust, there is ample opportunity for transmission once the virus is introduced on the farms. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30912-9/fulltext

    Despite enhanced biosecurity, early warning surveillance and immediate culling of infected farms, transmission occurred between mink farms in three big transmission clusters with unknown modes of transmission. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of the tested mink farm residents, employees and/or contacts had evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Where whole genomes were available, these persons were infected with strains with an animal sequence signature, providing evidence of animal to human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 within mink farms.
    https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/11/09/science.abe5901

  • My Covid-19 Guidelines For Small Businesses

    Lead By Example

    Hi, rather than perpetually moan and groan everytime I read an article about the impact of Covid-19 on businesses, in particular small hospitality services, I wanted to share my thoughts in the format of some clear bullet points, a mixture of gentle advice and strong recommendations. However much I wish the chaos would all go away, the new reality for us requires forward thinking optimism and criticism, in equal measure. The largest restaurant chains in the world such as McDonald’s, who don’t seem content with their existing Covid-19 safe…drive through are planning to re-open. I can understand it’s extra work and consideration on top stresses for small businesses, but please, don’t let McDonald’s be the only food outlet open for business due to the fact they published some flimsy Covid-19 measures. You can do better!             

    Certification.

    I guess, in the near future, new Health And Safety rules will apply to your business and staff. Better go look them up now, create a Google Alert (Covid-19 Health And Safety) and add your specific location, e.g. in the UK see: https://www.hse.gov.uk/news/coronavirus.html 

    Reconsider existing Health And Safety certifications and the process of gaining them. Did you or your colleagues take a test? What was it like, how might Covid-19 change questions and answers in 2020 and beyond. See the new Remote Auditing from Britsafe here: https://www.britsafe.org/audit-and-consultancy/new-remote-audits-and-consultancy/

    Perhaps go further and begin to formulate your own certification, alone or better yet as a team. Explore ways in which you can improve the efficiency, communication and protection of your business in the new Covid-19 world. If you can prove your methods and processes as a team, raise each others Covid awareness, and if you can record your progress to provide evidence of your actions, you can lead by example. #CoronaHero
    This could potentially make your business more attractive to customers and get you in-line for support…due to leading the field, doing what the government is not. Thinking for yourself. To be clear, these are extra measures on top of whatever current measures are in place.          

    Measures.

    I consider the practical measures as a finite list and I sincerely hope that innovative minds out there will think of alternative materials and methods to further reduce any chance of infection. Please consider.

    Protective Screens – At the point of purchase, materials, designs, microphone?

    Floor Markings – Set to the advised spacing apart, simple.

    Protective Masks – All staff and management wear masks (medical, non-medical grade?)

    Protective Gloves – All staff equipped with ample supply of gloves and instructed on procedures for use, frequency of change etc.    

    Ventilation – All ventilation systems are operating to ensure clean flow of air (Kitchens)

    Public Information – Certificates and public info on view to make customers feel secure. 

    Delivery And Service Providers – Share the same Covid measures and certifications?

    Updated Cleaning Schedule – Based on new methods, frequency, cleaning agents.  

    Team Building – A series of actions to encourage open feedback between teammates, a forum, Whats App group, Zoom etc.

    Insurance – What can small businesses learn from the super giants, what changes? 

    Test Trace Isolate / Flatten The Curve – Are your team and customers aware of larger goals? If not, why not?  

    Solidarity – It is critical that governments and businesses move in tandem to ensure staff who may feel sick say so immediately. Same for those who have contact with Covid-19 cases?

    Emergency Procedure – What happens if X Y Z? Protocol and plans for the future.

    This Q & A on Food Safety and Covid 19, by the European Commission is informative. https://ec.europa.eu/food/sites/food/files/safety/docs/biosafety_crisis_covid19_qandas_en.pdf

    Good luck out there. I hope to produce other such guidelines on other areas of impact this month. Much love,

    Steve fly