Abstract
On January 30, 2020, the Director-General of the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. There is hardly a country in the world that is not currently facing this problem. The number of cases is constantly growing, patients and carriers being the main mode of transmission. The economies of all countries are at stake. However, people need essential goods and food, regardless of the situation. In this respect, agriculture, food industry, food market, and catering have become priority industries. A continuous operation of food service enterprises (FSE) is crucial for the uninterrupted food supply in the period of preventive measures. The paper describes how pathogen makes its way into FSEs, spreads, and infects people. This information makes it possible to assess the probability of coronavirus infection and to reduce its spread, thus ensuring the safe operation of the enterprise. There are three transmission routes the coronavirus can take at a FSE: (1) aerial transmission by droplets and aerosols during the main and secondary technological production processes, (2) person-to-person transmission from clients to staff or from employee to employee via direct or indirect contact, (3) transmission via contaminated surfaces, e.g. packaging, furniture, equipment, etc. FSEs have to follow the recommendations published by the federal and/or local authorities, which may vary depending on the COVID-19 incidence rate in the area. These recommendations are based on the probability of the public health risk associated with person-to-person transmission, rather than on food safety.
Highlights
An outbreak of coronavirus infection in Wuhan, China, has led to a global epidemic declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization [1]
The work of food service enterprises (FSE) during the COVID-19 pandemic is fraught with extreme conditions
– by inhalation of microorganisms that can stay suspended in the air for a long time; – by direct contact with oral fluids or other bodily materials that enter the FSE premises with clients; – when the mucous membrane of the nose, mouth, and eyes is exposed to droplets and aerosols that contain microorganisms formed in the infected person and spread over short distances with coughing, sneezing, or talking without a face mask; and – by indirect contact with contaminated tools and/or surfaces [5,6,7,8,9,10]
Summary
An outbreak of coronavirus infection in Wuhan, China, has led to a global epidemic declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization [1]. There are three transmission routes the coronavirus can take at a FSE: (1) aerial transmission by droplets and aerosols during the main and secondary technological production processes, (2) person-to-person transmission from clients to staff or from employee to employee via direct or indirect contact, and (3) transmission via contaminated surfaces, e.g. packaging, furniture, equipment, etc. Food safety practices in catering during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
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