Convoy of 48 foreign workers exposed to COVID-19 | Coronavirus

While all workers tested negative after quarantining at the hotel, two people tested positive before entering the factory.

Each year, the E. Gagnon & Fils factory, which specializes in the distribution of crab and lobster, calls on people from outside to come and help them.

While being transported by bus from Montreal to the Gaspé, one of the two buses broke down in the Amqui sector. The decision was made to put all the workers in the same vehicle.

According to E. Gagnon & Fils vice-president of marketing, Bill Sheehan, procedures were in place to promote compliance with sanitary measures. All workers wore masks and Plexiglas windows were positioned between the rows in the vehicle.

Three COVID-19 tests had been carried out beforehand by Health Canada before boarding for the Gaspé. Mr. Sheehan is having difficulty understanding how the virus entered.

We normally thought that we would have zero problems, that we had taken all the necessary precautions, he explains.

They told us that the three tests have been passed, the quarantine is done, everything is fine.

Despite everything, the vice president of the company says he is lucky to have finally requested a fourth test.

These may be people who would be in the factory today if we had not done the tests. We would have picked up on the weekend with an outbreak in the factory, he believes.

All workers at the plant are back in quarantine in four different housing units. The two positive people are isolated from the rest of the workers. Another screening test will be done on the tenth day to ensure a safe return to work. The return is scheduled for April 16.

A significant financial impact

With this lack of employees, the E. Gagnon & Fils company had to reduce its production lines. Usually distributed in Asia, snow crab will only be offered to Americans and Canadians this year.

We have reduced production for Japan, which requires more employees, so we canceled that and small formats. We will simplify the production line as much as possible, explique M. Sheehan.

With hotel fees averaging $ 1,000 per week per employee in quarantine, Mr. Sheehan estimates losses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

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