Joint statement on behalf of Leeds City Council and Greggs PLC

Following a number of Greggs colleagues based at the Greggs distribution depot in LS13 testing positive for COVID-19 Leeds City Council, Public Health England, and Greggs have been working closely together to ensure safe management of the outbreak.

Lucy Jackson, Leeds City Council’s deputy director of Public Health, said: “A number of staff recently tested positive for COVID-19 at Greggs’ distribution depot in Leeds. Following further testing, more staff have been identified as being positive. This highlights why further testing and contact tracing is so important which Greggs is proactively undertaking.”

“The safety of Greggs staff, customers and the wider community remains our priority and we are working closely with Greggs and Public Health England to make sure any infection is contained.

“The workplace is being deep cleaned and further contact tracing carried out, with necessary advice shared about self-isolating and awareness of symptoms. This is a crucial part of controlling the spread of the virus and protecting our community from further infection. We are satisfied the necessary steps are being taken quickly to minimise any further spread of infection.”

“As the virus is still within our community, we should all continue to keep at least two metres away from people outside our households wherever possible, wash our hands with soap and water often, for at least 20 seconds, avoid touching our face and follow the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ guidance to help keep ourselves and others safe.

“Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should stay at home and book a test as soon as possible, within five days of the symptoms starting.”

Roger Whiteside, CEO at Greggs said: “Following a number of our staff testing positive for COVID-19 at our Leeds distribution depot, we have taken immediate action to implement our COVID response plan and we are working closely with Leeds City Council and Public Health England to ensure that we minimise any possible impact on our customers and the wider community in Leeds and the surrounding area.”

For more details about outbreak planning in Leeds and steps that can be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, please visit: https://www.leeds.gov.uk/coronavirus/managing-coronavirus-in-leeds

Contact details:

Greggs: Greggs@hudsonsandler.com ; 02077964133

Leeds City Council press office:communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk; 0113 378 6007

Public Health England Charlotte.hutchinson@phe.gov.uk; 0113 855 7362

ENDS