News Corona crisis
Vion insists on testing and expands approach
Vion Food Group has announced that it will immediately take additional measures to curb the number of corona infections at its locations. The company wants, among other things, to test personnel for the virus several times.
Vion does not consider closing the slaughterhouses necessary, especially now that they are coming up with new measures. With these measures, the meat giant wants to do everything it can to keep the meat supply going. CEO Ronald Lotgerink stated yesterday in the talk show Beau that Vion agrees with Minister Schouten. "We have been implementing all the measures that Mrs. Schouten has requested since March, but the measures are not enough. The minister is therefore right that additional measures are needed," says Lotgerink.
Extra measures
Vion therefore calls on the GGD, GHOR and the Security Council to preventively test all Vion employees for the virus several times. In addition, the meat processor makes all available data on compliance and supervision of its own corona protocols voluntarily available.
Vion has examined its own measures and adjusted them where necessary. For example, she would like to be able to carry out a risk analysis in order to further tighten the measures if necessary. The company also wants to extend the working hours to prevent mutual contact between employees, while larger buses are being used for transport and the home situation is also being examined.
Analyzing the living conditions of the employees is expected to make an important contribution to containing the contamination. In addition, Vion is tightening its own hygiene rules, for example by making face masks mandatory in densely populated workplaces.
More tests already requested
It is striking, however, that there have already been voices from the meat sector that more testing needs to be done, but that this has not been heeded. After the first infections at the location in Scherpenzeel, employees with complaints were immediately tested, in consultation with the GGD. Employees without complaints could continue to work without being tested, with the risk that they could infect other employees.
Vion has nothing to hide, says Lotgerink and is open to improving its corona protocols. Lotgerink therefore emphasizes several times that Vion and its employees already strictly adhere to the current measures.
Jorine Cosse
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