It remains “business as usual” for livestock marts around the country – though with a keen focus on Government guidance – amid ongoing concerns over the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19), according to the Irish Cooperative Organisation Society (ICOS).
Speaking to AgriLand about the situation, ICOS livestock and environmental services executive Ray Doyle explained:
“We’re going to be guided by the Government – it’s as simple as this.”
Doyle highlighted that marts will defer to Government guidelines on mass gatherings, adding:
Apart from that it’s just what everyone else is doing – good hygiene, not shaking hands.
The ICOS executive noted that “marts are the front-line of this in many ways because the last time this happened was 2001 with foot and mouth”.
“We were closed to prevent foot and mouth spreading and we could well be faced with this now. If coronavirus hits it’ll be a major business disruption to us – but, as of now, it’s just business as usual and enacting good hygiene practices – that’s it,” he explained.
It is developing and we’re going to have to take our cue from the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health.
“It’s as simple as this: If and when the Government decides to shut us down, we’ll have to shut down – but in the intervening period it’s business as usual,” Doyle concluded.