Deliveries from Great Ocean Foods force entire households into COVID-19 isolation

Authorities are so concerned about a COVID-19 outbreak at a seafood wholesaler in Sydney’s inner west, they’re ordering entire households that got deliveries to isolate and get tested.

It was established during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic that the likelihood of transmission of the virus via take away food containers was very low.

“In terms of the packaging, while the coronavirus has been identified to live on surfaces like plastic and cardboard, if you’re worried, you can wipe it down with alcohol wipes then practice hand hygiene to be safe,” said epidemiologist Mary Louise-McLaws last April.

However, a combination of the highly infectious Delta strain and unaccounted movements of staff and visitors have prompted NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant to issue an unprecedented health directive.

“What we want people to do is anyone who received a delivery from Great Ocean Foods from [June 21 to June 25] that person, plus their household members must immediately isolate and get tested,” Dr Chant said.

The seafood distributor sits in an industrial section of Marrickville — outside the four Sydney local government areas in lockdown — amid mechanics, craft beer breweries and art framing stores.

All staff and customers who visited the business between Monday and Friday this week, as well as their household contacts, are considered close contacts.

They’ve been instructed to get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result.

The close contact advisory also extends to any person who “directly received a delivery from Great Ocean Foods” in the same period.

“Every day we understand that five or so people do go directly and purchase food from the Great Ocean Foods,” Dr Chant said.

“Our concern for those individuals is we have a QR-codes for a small number of people, but we believe there are probably people who did not check-in using the QR code that was available at that premise.”

Dr Chant said delivery drivers associated with the business had contracted the virus.

“The reason we are asking household members also to get tested and isolate is again to get ahead of the [virus],” Dr Chant added.

“We know if you were exposed on the … Monday, you might have been able to transmit to your household during that time and so we want to lock down and prevent any further spread.”

Great Ocean Foods was contacted for comment.

A voice message for the company said the company was closed due to coronavirus but operations would resume on Monday.

[zendesk covid form]