Avon 'monitoring the situation' after Covid cases at Corby site

Avon say they are monitoring the situation on a daily basis after four workers at their Corby site tested positive for Covid-19.

The major cosmetics firm, which employs hundreds of people at its 100,000 sq ft distribution warehouse on the Earlstrees Industrial Estate, is the latest to be affected with cases of the virus soaring across the town.

On Tuesday (January 5) 141 cases were recorded in the town, the highest single day figure since the pandemic started last year. At the time it also had the highest rate jump in the country.

An Avon UK spokesman said: “Here at Avon we are committed to helping everyone in our community face this unprecedented pandemic. Our first responsibility is keeping people safe - our customers, employees, reps, suppliers, friends and family.

"Over the past year we have taken significant steps, putting in place guidelines to support our associates including cleaning and sanitation of our facilities while encouraging remote and at home work.

"Our national distribution centre in Corby is open and we are following all the Government and PHE guidelines to keep our teams safe.

"We can confirm that four colleagues from our Corby site have tested positive for Covid-19 and are following the Government’s self-isolation guidance, and with the recent increase in cases across the country we are monitoring the situation on a daily basis and taking the appropriate action.”

It's understood that some other workers are waiting for their results after being tested for the virus.

Avon is the latest big employer in the town to be affected by the virus.

In December iForce confirmed cases at its Geddington Road site.

Employees at Europa at the Midlands Logistics Park were also sent to be tested after a worker caught the virus in August.

When the latest national lockdown started on Tuesday Public Health England data showed there had been a total of 2,191 cases in Corby since March.

An astonishing 520 - nearly a quarter - of these were confirmed in the previous seven days alone.