Covid-19 how is your Food enterprise responding

 Covid-19 how is your food enterprise responding?

We’ve been working with Australian and international research partners to put together a research survey that is attempting to capture data about the impact of COVID19 on local food supply networks, and the resilience of these networks. Over the past months, we’ve heard on-the-ground stories of this sector’s resilience and how farmers, markets, and food hubs are responding to support communities. We need to build the evidence base that demonstrates that value and helps funders and others understand the gaps in support for this sector. We also hope that gathering this info while it’s fresh will provide valuable lessons on how people responded and will help people prepare for other food system shocks in the future. Answers to the questions are being collated into the open database which anyone can draw on following this event. We will also make sure we pull out key findings into easy-to-access info sheets or posts.

We take growing food and feeding our community very seriously. We love doing it, but for all of us at the Co-Op, one of the big reasons we got into farming is because we believe that the industrial and the global food system is extremely fragile and when something like the coronavirus happens, we can start to see the truth of that.

We take the health, safety, and wellbeing of our community and ourselves seriously and through this ever-evolving situation we are doing everything we can to both continue to feed you and stay healthy ourselves. Every week, from produce grown on our farm, we feed well over 200 local households. If we get sick, those people don’t get our produce.

We are taking more stringent health and safety precautions both on-farm and at the market (and everywhere in between) to make sure our product gets to you clean and safe. We will be trying out a new system at the markets this week. It will be a little slower, but it’s the best we can come up with at this point.

The current advice from the government is that farmers markets are exempt from the ‘no gatherings of over 500 people’ rule as outdoor food markets are a vital part of keeping communities fed and healthy. Our weekly market doesn’t have 500 people in attendance at any one time any way, but we’re still being careful.

We will continue to adapt our systems, as we need to. But for this week this is how the market will look at our stall:

·        We will have a ‘number’ system (Deli-style) to prevent people from having to cue.

·        We will call out your number and personally serve you so that only our sanitized hands touch your produce.

·        Please bring a basket, bag or box to carry your produce home in.

·        We are encouraging everyone to pay by card where possible as handling cash can be unhygienic.

·        We will be sanitizing our hands frequently throughout the market.

·        Please make sure you also wash all produce before you eat it.

If you aren’t able to make it to the market or farm pickups because you are self-isolating, please get in contact. We will deliver if needs be, though it is definitely not our preference.

If you are unwell or have been around anyone who is unwell, please don’t come to the market. Get in touch and we can work out an alternative so you can still get produce. We need to stay well so we can keep feeding the people! It can be easy to let fear and paranoia take over. We are doing our very best to take a measured, clear, and preventative approach to feed the community. Stay healthy and well, care for each other, and don’t forget to check on your neighbors and friends. In these times of increased ‘social isolation’ let’s all find ways to stay connected and strong. The Harcourt Organic Farming Co-op team (Sass, Mel, Tess, Ant, Katie, Hugh, and Merv)

What is the risk of getting COVID-19 infection through food?

There is no current evidence you become infected by eating the coronavirus. It’s a respiratory virus transmitted mainly via the nose and eyes, not a gastrointestinal virus. The acid in our stomach is expected to inactivate the virus.

 

Should we be washing uncooked foods like fruit and vegetables more than usual?

It’s not sensible nor practical to wash all the food you bring into your home especially at this point in time when we’re not seeing widespread environmental contamination, nor extensive community transmission of the coronavirus in Australia.

My advice is from both a practical and food safety perspective. In freshwater just prior to eating is enough. This aligns with advice from the US Food and Drug Administration. Please note – hand soap or dishwashing detergent are not designed for direct use on food.

However, at this time of heightened concern, the best advice is to wash your hands with soap – before and frequently – when preparing food and handling food packaging. Washing your hands and not touching your face will minimize the risk of getting an infection after touching surfaces or food packaging.

Remember, there is no evidence you get a respiratory coronavirus infection from eating it. Extra tips for cleaning fresh fruit and vegetables are available.

Should we are eating uncooked food, like fruit, vegetables, and salads?

Yes, please continue to eat fresh fruit, vegetables, and salads. There is no evidence to suggest you become infected from eating coronavirus. The best advice is to wash your hands with soap when preparing fruit and vegetables and to rinse fresh produce with water just before you eat it.

What temperatures do viruses like to live in? Should we be refrigerating foods that we wouldn’t normally?

Viruses don’t ‘live’ or grow outside of their host, they merely exist until they are able to infect their next host. So, there is no need to refrigerate food that you wouldn’t normally.

What is the risk of getting coronavirus from surfaces?

The coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 infection is a respiratory virus. It is typically transmitted via respiratory droplets. These come from coughing, sneezing, or close contact with other people. Infection may occur if the virus reaches our mucous membranes – eyes, nose, and airways. Also after we have touched a contaminated surface and then our face. This is why good personal hygiene is the best way to avoid infection.

Three important things to remember:

1. Wash your hands properly and frequently. Including washing your hands when you get home and before preparing food, which you should do anyway.
2. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
3. Sneeze and cough into your elbow or a tissue and put used tissues straight in the bin.

How long does the virus survive on surfaces?

We don’t know this yet for the virus responsible for COVID-19, but we’re working to find out.

Coronaviruses can survive on surfaces for between hours and days. It depends on the type of surface, temperature, and humidity. Therefore, we need people to focus on personal hygiene measures. Washing your hands properly and frequently and not touching your face is key.

What about cleaning at home? What sanitizers should we be using?

Again, we don’t know this yet for the virus responsible for COVID-19, but we’re working to find out.

Cleaning should be done before sanitizing as dirt can render some sanitizers less effective. Sanitizing is different from cleaning – cleaning removes dirt, dust, and some microbes. Sanitizing is done to inactivate microorganisms.

Regular cleaning of surfaces at home is important. Cleaning with mild soap and water may be entirely adequate assuming there’s no reason to think your home is highly contaminated. The coronavirus is an ‘enveloped’ virus which makes it fairly weak when it comes to cleaning. Soap breaks down the virus envelope, making it inactive.

The following sanitizers have been shown to be most effective at inactivating coronaviruses:

·        Ethanol 62-71 percent for 30 seconds

·        0.5 percent hydrogen peroxide for one minute

·        0.1 percent sodium hypochlorite for one minute

Not all of these may be available or practical for use in the home environment. And importantly, more concentrated DOES NOT mean greater kill! Always follow the instructions for use on the container.

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Coronavirus

 What is the new coronavirus?

The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which turned into first recognized in China in past due 2019, can purpose an extreme disorder referred to as COVID-19. A majority of folks who agree SARS-CoV-2 may have moderate to mild contamination and get better without remedy; however, others will broaden excessive disorder. At first, COVID-19 turned into a notion to be often breathing contamination, however, it has to turn out to be clean that the coronavirus can purpose headaches at some stage in the frame. It can take weeks or months for signs and symptoms to resolve.

How is the coronavirus transmitted?

The coronavirus especially spreads thru the air in breathing droplets or aerosolized debris launched while someone with the virus coughs, sneezes, talks, or breathes. People can transmit the virus although they do now no longer have signs and symptoms. The coronavirus probably also can unfold while it lands on surfaces and someone transfers it to their mouth, nostril, or eyes, despite the fact that this isn't always a not unusual place path of transmission. SARS-CoV-2 transmission takes place most usually indoors, especially inside households, in institutional settings inclusive of nursing houses and prisons, and in crowded offices and social settings inclusive of bars and parties. A developing frame of proof suggests that transmission isn't always unusual place exterior, as shifting air dilutes the attention of the virus and daylight swiftly kills it. Some researchers have determined the genetic fabric from the coronavirus in semen. SARS-CoV-2 isn't always notion to be at once sexually transmitted; however, intimate touch throughout sex— inclusive of kissing—can unfold the virus. The coronavirus is detectable withinside the stool, however, fecal transmission seems to be uncommon. It isn't always but clean whether or not the coronavirus may be transmitted from mom to baby throughout pregnancy, shipping or breastfeeding, despite the fact that there had been a few reviews that advise perinatal transmission is possible.

How can transmission be prevented?

Several precautions can lessen the transmission of the brand-new coronavirus. People can transmit the virus although they do now no longer have signs and symptoms, so it's miles critical for all of us to examine such precautions although they do now no longer experience ill.

• Avoid near touch with different humans, which means inside six feet.

 • Avoid crowded indoor settings.

• Wear masks or fabric face protection while you are around others.

• Wash your arms with cleaning soap and water regularly and thoroughly.

• Use hand sanitizer containing a minimum of 60% alcohol.

• Avoid touching your face, especially your mouth, nostril, and eyes.

• Clean and disinfect surfaces that are regularly touched.

• Stay domestic in case you are sick.

• Cough or sneeze right into a tissue or your elbow.

• Get a flu vaccine.

Physical distancing, carrying a face protecting and shifting sports exterior are key prevention measures. Cloth face masks don’t clear out virus debris like N95 mask do, however they do block breathing droplets that deliver the coronavirus. Masks crafted from a double layer of heavy-obligation cotton seem to paintings nicely, however even a bandana can lessen the unfold of virus-containing droplets. Make certain your masks suit snugly and absolutely covers your mouth and nostril. More stringent measures can be applied if the virus is spreading extra swiftly. These encompass fending off touch with humans out of doors your household, staying far far from public gatherings, operating from domestic and last schools. Some regions have applied live-at-domestic or shelter-in-area orders and closure of nonessential businesses. Quarantine is a extra individualized technique that calls for folks who could have been uncovered to the coronavirus to live at domestic or in a delegated facility for a sure duration of time, generally 10 to fourteen days. Stricter isolation practices, which include using non-public defensive equipment, are critical while worrying for someone acknowledged to have the virus at domestic or in a hospital. Who is at threat for COVID-19? While all people can trap the brand-new coronavirus, sure corporations are at more threat of growing extra excessive contamination

• People age 60 or older

• People with compromised immune structures

• People with preexisting fitness situations, which include cardiovascular disorder, continual lung disorder, excessive blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes or obesity.

While older humans and people with different fitness situations are much more likely to broaden excessive disorder, younger and wholesome humans also can turn out to be critically ill. Although youngsters seldom broaden excessive disorder, they could deliver the virus and transmit it to others. A small percentage of youngsters broaden a excessive multisystem inflammatory syndrome.

What are the signs and symptoms of COVID-19?

Around 80% of humans with COVID-19 have moderate or mild contamination and could get better without a unique remedy. About 15% will broaden excessive breathing problems, and approximately 5% of instances are vital or life-threatening. Many folks who agreement the coronavirus have few or no signs and symptoms however can nevertheless transmit the virus to others. Some research advises that as much as 1/2 of folks who agreement the virus can be asymptomatic. The maximum not unusual place early signs and symptoms of COVID-19 are coughs, shortness of breath, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, and lack of the experience of flavor or smell. A variety of different signs and symptoms had been reported, which include headache, “crimson eye” (conjunctivitis), and gastrointestinal signs and symptoms inclusive of nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. It takes around 5 days, on average, among publicity to the virus and the advent of signs and symptoms. As the disorder progresses, humans might also additionally locate it an increasing number of hard to breathe. In extreme instances, they will broaden pneumonia, wherein air sacs withinside the lungs (alveoli) fill with fluid, stopping oxygen from coming into the bloodstream. In the maximum excessive instances, sufferers can broaden acute breathing misery syndrome or tremendous lung irritation that calls for mechanical ventilation. COVID-19 also can have an effect on different organs and structures at some stage in the frame, which include the cardiovascular device. Some humans broaden neurological signs and symptoms. Both the coronavirus itself and the immune device’s reaction to it make a contribution to COVID-19 signs and symptoms. Some humans with excessive contamination enjoy an immune overreaction that can result in organ failure. The COVID-19 mortality price isn't always but acknowledged as it stays unsure what number of humans have shrunk the virus. Many professionals count on that the general mortality price maybe around 1%, or approximately 10 instances better than that of a standard seasonal flu. How is the coronavirus recognized? SARS-CoV-2 may be recognized by the use of a PCR RNA take a look at that detects viral genetic fabric in a deep nasal swab sample. Saliva exams also are available. Viral antigen exams that come across fragments of viral proteins are easier to carry out however much less accurate. Testing tremendous suggests modern energetic contamination. Another sort of takes a look at detects antibodies to the coronavirus withinside the blood, which monitor whether or not a person turned into inflamed withinside the past. These antibodies provide safety in opposition to destiny contamination; however, it isn't always but acknowledged how lengthy this immunity will last. If you watched you can have been uncovered to the coronavirus, touch a fitness care issuer in case you broaden a fever, cough, issue respiratory or different signs and symptoms. Before you visit a health center or hospital, name in advance so the team of workers can provide you with commands and take suitable precautions. Does COVID-19 result in immunity? 12 months into the brand-new pandemic, there’s nevertheless a good deal to study immunity to SARS-CoV-2, the brand-new coronavirus that reasons COVID-19. After herbal contamination or vaccination, the immune device produces antibodies in opposition to the virus; this generally takes place inside multiple weeks. But research that handiest degree antibody ranges don’t inform the complete story. Antibody ranges withinside the blood decline over time, however the lengthy-lived reminiscence B cells that make antibodies continue to be on guard, geared up to renew antibody manufacturing in the event that they stumble upon the virus again. T cells, a specific sort of immune molecular, additionally play a position in preserving lengthy-lasting safety. Studies have proven that folks who get over COVID-19 look covered for a minimum of six months and likely a good deal longer. Although antibody ranges clearly decline over time, reminiscence B molecular and T molecular responses retain to offer safety. Further follow-up is wanted to peer how lengthy this safety lasts. SARS-CoV-2 reinfection and leap forward contamination after vaccination is uncommon. People who're reinfected or who agreement the virus after vaccination commonly have milder disorders. Most professionals count on that populace or herd immunity may be finished while about 75% to 85% of the populace has been uncovered, both thru herbal contamination or vaccination. COVID-19 vaccine improvement has passed off at an exceptional pace. The first vaccines had been legal for emergency use withinside the United States in December 2020. All U.S. citizens while sixteen or older at the moment are eligible to obtain a vaccine. Three COVID-19 vaccines—from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) have acquired emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). All of those vaccines are particularly powerful at decreasing the threat of excessive COVID-19, hospitalization, and death. People with extreme immune suppression, inclusive of people with superior HIV, organ transplant recipients, and those on sure varieties of most Cancers remedy, won't reply as nicely. But the vaccines ought to nevertheless provide partial safety and are advocated for those corporations. All of the vaccines are secure and usually nicely tolerated. Some recipients enjoy facet outcomes which include injection web page reactions, fatigue, and headache. Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) are uncommon and may be controlled with clinical care. A small variety of folks who acquired the Johnson & Johnson vaccine advanced an uncommon blood clotting disorder; this passed off in about one in one million recipients. The FDA in brief paused the use of the vaccine for in addition investigation, however decided that its blessings outweigh its dangers and allowed vaccination to renew.

How is COVID-19 treated?

People with moderate or mild contamination can generally control their signs and symptoms with supportive care at domestic, much like take care of the flu. This might also additionally encompass taking over-the-counter medicinal drugs for fever, cough, and pain, consuming masses of fluids, the use of a humidifier, and getting ok rest. In extra excessive instances, someone with COVID-19 might also additionally require hospitalization for extra superior care. This might also additionally contain respiratory supplemental oxygen or, if sufferers can’t breathe on their own, using a ventilator machine. There is one authorized antiviral medicinal drug for COVID 19, remdesivir (Veklury) that is modestly powerful for hospitalized sufferers. Several different capsules have proven interested in opposition to SARS-CoV-2 or associated coronaviruses in laboratory and animal research, and lots of scientific trials are underway. Two monoclonal antibody regimens, bamlanivimab plus etesevimab and casirivimab plus imdevimab, have acquired emergency use authorization for the COVID-19 remedy. Another remedy is convalescent plasma which incorporates herbal antibodies from humans who've recovered from COVID-19. Because maximum humans get better without remedy, it's miles critical to examine new remedies in opposition to an inactive placebo or specific medicinal drugs to peer which of them paintings best. Be careful approximately rumors and overly constructive statistics approximately remedies that have now no longer but been examined in randomized scientific trials. The Infectious Diseases Society of America has produced guidelines for the Treatment and Management of Patients with COVID-19. The guidelines are up to date regularly to mirror new research.

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