US farm with Jamaican workers reopens after COVID infections

MONTPELIER, Vermont (AP) — Champlain Orchards in Addison County, Vermont has reopened after an outbreak of the coronavirus infected more than two dozen of its seasonal apple pickers.

The orchards were back to regular hours for pick-your-own apples this past weekend.

A total of 28 of the orchards’ migrant apple pickers have tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.

Vermont health commissioner Dr Mark Levine has said the virus is contained to the site and emphasised there was no known risk to the public.

He also said there is no risk from eating apples or any other products that were grown or produced from the orchards.

Champlain Orchards said Saturday that staff had undergone a third round of testing with no new positive cases.

Officials did not say where the migrant workers are from, but state Deputy Agriculture Secretary Alyson Eastman had previously noted that many foreign apple pickers in Vermont are from Jamaica.

However, a Champlain Orchards spokesperson told The Gleaner last Wednesday that the infected migrant workers are all Jamaicans.

According to the spokesperson, the Jamaicans arrived with the infection.

Reacting to the development, Labour Minister Karl Samuda issued a statement indicating that he was satisfied with the level of care being provided to the Jamaicans workers at the farm.

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