Positive staff cases led to livestock market closure

More details have emerged behind the decision to close Welshpool Livestock Sales next week.

Yesterday we revealed that the facility, which regularly sees the largest weekly sale of fat lambs in the UK every Monday, will close for the week, and Farmers Weekly is reporting this morning that two members of staff returned positive tests after displaying symptoms last weekend.

Jonathan Evans, auctioneer and partner at Welshpool Livestock Sales, told Farmers Weekly that closing the market was the right thing to do to protect staff and farmers.

“We had two members of staff have symptoms last weekend. They did not come into market on Monday,” he said.

“Subsequently, they tested positive and, out of an abundance of caution for the sake of our staff and farmers, the decision was taken to voluntarily shut down.”

Mr Evans added that the risk of spreading the infection was low as the market operated a drop-and-go policy in line with Wales’ “firebreak” lockdown restrictions over the past fortnight.

“I am hoping the closure will send a message to everyone about how serious this virus is and how it can spread,” he added.

Livestock Auctioneers Association (LAA) executive secretary Chris Dodds told the publication: “The LAA, in conjunction with Defra and the Welsh Government has set out safety guidelines and robust safety protocols to minimise risks of Covid-19 among our clients and staff.

“Public health is of paramount importance and, in line with government guidelines, our protocols are clear that in such cases where an outbreak has been connected to a member market, suitable precautions will be taken.

“The LAA is aware Welshpool is implementing precautions to safeguard the health of customers and its staff, and it has been an individual business decision to close the operation temporarily.”

Rhayader Livestock Market, which is owned by the same firm, operated on Thursday using a different set of staff who had not been in contact with the infected staff members, the company stated.

Both markets will be closed next week, but Welshpool Livestock Sales is expected to reopen on November 16.

The Welshpool area has experienced a sharp spike in positive Covid-19 cases this week with numbers at least doubling in three local zones in just one 24-hour period.