The medical officer of health in Chatham-Kent says he's hesitant to shut down local greenhouses, food processing operations, and farms if there's an outbreak because food is a necessity of life.
Toronto and Peel Region announced this week they will close workplaces with outbreaks of five or more cases. However, Chatham-Kent Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Colby said those are mainly manufacturing plants that don't affect the food supply chain. Colby said he will close a workplace if it poses a risk to public health, but he is looking at the bigger picture.
"In the big picture there are necessities of life that people need and closing food production facilities, farms and growing facilities is something that has to be considered very carefully," said Colby.
Colby said he hasn't had to resort to a closure order, which he has the power to do under provincial law, but has considered it before and will continue to consider it on a case by case basis. He said Chatham-Kent is predominantly agricultural and the situation is different.
Last year there was a large outbreak at Greenhill Produce in Kent Bridge that grew to 103 cases and Dr. Colby previously said that he was close to shutting it down.
