Key Resources

Government Guidance:

• Novel Coronavirus background information  

England:

• • Defra FSA Face Coverings FAQs for food business operators 21/5/20
  • England: critical workers list
  • Government position on PPE & prioritisation for frontline healthcare (10/4/20)
  • Food Standards Agency UK guidance on COVID-19 for food businesses
  • Food Standards Agency Guidance for consumers on coronavirus (COVID-19) and food
  • RIDDOR:
    • HSE notice: RIDDOR reporting of COVID-19
      
    • HSE guidance to CFA on COVID & RIDDOR 15/4/20
    • HSE guidance on RIDDOR August 2020

PHE Info Sheets for Employers and Staff:

• PHE A07C Info Sheet COVID19 Self-isolation
• PHE A07E Info Sheet COVID19 Temperature checks & thermal scanning
• PHE A07F Info Sheet COVID19 Antibody testing
• PHE A07G Info Sheet COVID19 Hand hygiene
• PHE A07H Info Sheet COVID19 Respiratory hygiene
• PHE A07I Info Sheet COVID19 Symptoms
• PHE A07J Info Sheet COVID19 Face coverings
• PHE A07K Info Sheet Cohorting COVID19

Scotland

• Food Standards Scotland Guidance for food business operators and their employees
• Food Standards Scotland Coronavirus guidance

International

• • World Health Organisation Coronaviruses Q&A
  • WHO Novel Coronavirus 2019 Myth Busters
  • WHO guidance for FBOs (8/4/20)
  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) COVID-19 Q&A
  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) Infographic

Specific Technical:

• Biocides:
  • American Chemistry Council Center for Biocide Chemistry- biocides list
• PPE:
  • PHE info sheet A07J:

“You should only use face coverings in your workplace if wearing them does not affect compliance with food hygiene regulations, and if they are approved by your employer.“

• • Should people wear face masks to protect themselves from infection?
    “Face masks play a very important role in clinical settings, such as hospitals but there’s very little evidence of widespread benefit from their use outside of these clinical settings. Facemasks must be worn correctly, changed frequently, removed properly and disposed of safely in order to be effective.”
    • Data do not back cloth masks to limit COVID-19, experts say (9/4/20)
      Source: Rapid Expert Consultation on the Effectiveness of Fabric Masks for the COVID-19 Pandemic (8/4/20) http://nap.edu/25776) (CFA/040f/20)
    • A cluster randomised trial of cloth masks compared with medical masks in healthcare workers (2015)
    • UK food production sector briefing note: Food Supply Chain Availability of PPE (23/4/20)
    • Defra FSA Face Coverings FAQs 21/5/20
• Taking staff temperatures:
  • WHO mythbuster graphic
• Freezing chilled foods:
  
  • FSA Bulk freezing of chilled & ambient foods
  • BFFF COVID 19 Guidance on freezing product to preserve life
• Audits:
  • GFSI position
• Air flow:
  • Natural ventilation for infection control in healthcare settings (WHO, 2009)
• On-demand webinars:
  • Webinar from IFST SC20 series relating to COVID-19 (8/4/20)
  • On-site health & safety management, accommodation & transport (9/4/20)
    Presentation by Prof Virginia Murray, PHE COVID Response: guidance, comments on masks & visors (12:30-29:00 mins – screenshot ppt CFA/040c/20)
  • Food and Nutrition in the Light of COVID-19
  • CBI Daily Coronavirus Webinar: in discussion with George Osborne (20/4/20)
  • CBI Daily Coronavirus Webinar: How to operate safely (discussion inc Prof John Simpson – PHE COVID Response leader)
• ECDC COVID-19 online training course