CDC Finds That Sick Workers Linked , to a Majority of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks.
NBC reports that new data suggests that sick employees at restaurants and other food establishments are a major contributor to the spread of foodborne illnesses.
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According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 40% of foodborne outbreaks were linked to sick or infectious workers.
In 2017, Chipotle attributed an outbreak of norovirus to an employee who came to work despite being sick.
In 2017, Chipotle attributed an outbreak of norovirus to an employee who came to work despite being sick.
Between 2017 and 2019, norovirus was the most common pathogen involved with outbreaks at restaurants in the U.S. .
Of 800 outbreaks, norovirus accounted for 47% that were identified by the CDC.
Another 19% of the outbreaks were reportedly linked to Salmonella, a bacteria that results in diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps.
NBC reports that the CDC has recommended that restaurants adopt and enforce policies that require workers to stay home if they are ill.
Ill workers continue to play a substantial role in retail food establishment outbreaks, and comprehensive ill worker policies will likely be necessary to mitigate this public health problem, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, via NBC.
However, NBC reports that the CDC report also found that less than half of food establishments offered workers paid sick leave.
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If companies value their employees' health and their customers' health, then they would not be responding reactively to these things.
They would be taking proactive steps to prevent these things from happening, Darin Detwiler, Northeastern University food regulatory policy professor, via NBC
