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.

Keywords

Coronavirus COVID-19, containment, food service enterprises, preventive measures, recommendations

REFERENCES

1. Wen J, Aston J, Liu X, Ying T. Effects of misleading media coverage on public health crisis: a case of the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak in China. Anatolia. 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13032917.2020.1730621.
2. Shen K, Yang Y, Wang T, Zhao D, Jiang Y, Jin R, et al. Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of 2019 novel coronavirus infection in children: experts’ consensus statement. World Journal of Pediatrics. 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12519-020-00343-7.
3. Selʹskoe khozyaystvo v Rossii. Statisticheskiy sbornik [Agriculture in Russia. Statistical collection]. Moscow: Federal State Statistic Service; 2019. 91 p. (In Russ.).
4. Dolgov SI, Savinov YuA. The impact of the new coronavirus outbreak on international trade. Russian Foreign Economic Journal. 2020;(2):7–18. (In Russ.).
5. Peng X, Xu X, Li Y, Cheng L, Zhou X, Ren B. Transmission routes of 2019-nCoV and controls in dental practice. International Journal of Oral Science. 2020;12(9). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41368-020-0075-9.
6. To KK-W, Tsang OT-Y, Yip CC-Y, Chan K-H, Wu T-C, Chan JM-C, et al. Consistent detection of 2019 novel coronavirus in Saliva. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa149.
7. Backer JA, Klinkenberg D, Wallinga J. Incubation period of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infections among travellers from Wuhan, China, 20–28 January 2020. Eurosurveillance. 2020;25(5). DOI: https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.5.2000062.
8. Chen J. Pathogenicity and transmissibility of 2019-nCoV – A quick overview and comparison with other emerging viruses. Microbes and Infection. 2020;22(2):69–71. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micinf.2020.01.004.
9. Cleveland JL, Gray SK, Harte JA, Robison VA, Moorman AC, Gooch BF. Transmission of blood-borne pathogens in US dental health care settings. Journal of the American Dental Association. 2016;147(9):729–738. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2016.03.020.
10. Harrel SK, Molinari J. Aerosols and splatter in dentistry: a brief review of the literature and infection control implications. Journal of the American Dental Association. 2004;135(4):429–437. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14219/jada.archive.2004.0207.
11. Morse JS, Lalonde T, Xu S, Liu WR. Learning from the past: possible urgent prevention and treatment options for severe acute respiratory infections caused by 2019-nCoV ChemBioChem. 2020;21(5):730–738. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cbic.202000047.
12. Dowell SF, Simmerman JM, Erdman DD, Wu JJ-S, Chaovavanich A, Javadi M, et al. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus on hospital surface. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2004;39(5):652–657 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/422652.
13. Huang C, Wang Y, Li X, Ren L, Zhao J, Hu Y, et al. Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. The Lancet. 2020;395(10223):497–506. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30183-5.
14. Guan W-J, Ni Z-Y, Hu Y, Liang W-H, Ou C-Q, He J-X, et al. Clinical characteristics of 2019 novel coronavirus infection in China. New England Journal of Medicine. 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2002032.
15. Lu C-W, Liu X-F, Jia Z-F. 2019-nCoV transmission through the ocular surface must not be ignored. The Lancet. 2020;395(10224). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30313-5.
16. Lai C-C, Shih T-P, Ko W-C, Tang H-J, Hsueh P-R. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19): The epidemic and the challenges. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents. 2020;55(3). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2020.105924.
17. Wei J, Li Y. Airborne spread of infectious agents in the indoor environment. American Journal of Infection Control. 2016;44(9):S102–S110. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2016.06.003.
18. Otter JA, Donskey C, Yezli S, Douthwaite S, Goldenberg SD, Weber DJ. Transmission of SARS and MERS coronaviruses and influenza virus in healthcare settings: the possible role of dry surface contamination. Journal of Hospital Infection. 2016;92(3):235–250. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2015.08.027.
19. Cupertino MC, Resende MB, Mayer NAJ, Carvalho LM, Rodrigo S-B. Emerging and re-emerging human infectious diseases: A systematic review of the role of wild animals with a focus on public health impact. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine. 2020;13(3):99–106. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/1995-7645.277535.
20. Kampf G, Todt D, Pfaender S, Steinmann E. Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and their inactivation with biocidal agents. Journal of Hospital Infection. 2020;104(3):246–251. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2020.01.022.
21. Zhu Y, Chen L, Ji H, Xi M, Fang Y, Li Y. The risk and prevention of novel coronavirus pneumonia infections among inpatients in psychiatric hospitals. Neuroscience Bulletin. 2020;36:299–302. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12264-020-00476-9.
22. Nooh HZ, Alshammary RH, Alenezy JM, Alrowaili NH, Alsharari AJ, Alenzi NM, et al. Public awareness of coronavirus in Al-Jouf region, Saudi Arabia. Journal of Public Health. 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-020-01209-y.
23. Kwok YLA, Gralton J, McLaws M-L. Face touching: A frequent habit that has implications for hand hygiene. American Journal of Infection Control. 2015;43(2):112–114. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2014.10.015.
24. Bean B, Moore BM, Sterner B, Peterson LR, Gerding DN, Balfour HH. Survival of influenza viruses on environmental surfaces. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 1982;146(1):47–51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/146.1.47.
25. Cheng VCC, Wong S-C, To KKW, Ho PL, Yuen K-Y. Preparedness and proactive infection control measures against the emerging novel coronavirus in China. Journal of Hospital Infection. 2020;104(3):254–255. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2020.01.010.
26. Zhang S, Diao MY, Duan L, Lin Z, Chen D. The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infections in China: prevention, control and challenges. Intensive Care Medicine. 2020;46:591–593. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-020-05977-9.
27. Ansari SA, Springthorpe VS, Sattar SA, Rivard S, Rahman M. Potential role of hands in the spread of respiratory viral infections: studies with human parainfluenza virus 3 and rhinovirus 14. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 1991;29(10):2115–2119.
28. Infection prevention and control of epidemic-and pandemic-prone acute respiratory infections in health care. World Health Organization; 2014. 133 p.