Don't Let Your Christmas Hamper Public Health

Minister for Health and Wellbeing Stephen Wade said while South Australia has currently no locally acquired cases of COVID-19, we must be aware of ways to actively reduce the risk to our friends and families.

"With a major outbreak afoot in New South Wales, we must take precautions so that when someone gets infected by COVID in South Australia our personal and community activities are COVID Safe, so we can reduce infection and trace lines of transmission.

"The last thing any of us want to give our loved ones at Christmas is COVID."

"South Australians should rightly feel proud about their part in the COVID-19 response which has allowed all of us to experience freedoms this Christmas which are the envy of the world," Minister Wade said.

"But it's just as important during the festive period that we do not become complacent with food safety advice too.

"If you are hosting, remind your guests not to attend if they are unwell, and remind everyone to keep 1.5 metres apart when possible.

"Make sure everyone knows where they can wash their hands, have plenty of hand sanitiser available and keep those areas well-stocked with soap and hand drying facilities. If you have a lot of guests, consider paper towels and empty the bin regularly.

"If you or anyone in your household is sick, please miss the Christmas party and get tested immediately if you have symptoms of COVID-19."

Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, said the emerging situation in the NSW Northern Beaches region, is a reminder that there is always the risk of reintroduction of the virus into the State.

"It's easy to be swept up in the rush of Christmas preparations to forget safe food handling and storage and the last thing anyone wants at this time of year is to be sick," Professor Spurrier said.

"There is currently no evidence that COVID-19 is spread by food, however it can spread via contact surfaces so consider having enough plates and cutlery to ensure people do not have to share utensils.

"Food-borne illnesses such as Salmonella can cause diarrhoea, fever, headache, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting and we have been notified of 642 cases of Salmonella this year.

"Fortunately, from planning how you shop to what you do with the leftovers after Christmas lunch, there are steps we can all take to minimise the risk."

Tips for the festive season:

• Do NOT go out if you are sick. Do NOT go to a Christmas party.
• If you have any symptoms, no matter how mild, please get tested immediately – testing is available across the holiday period
• Use the COVID Safe Check-In app where available
• Wash or sanitise your hands regularly
• When you are out, keep 1.5 metres away from others who are not in your group
• While food can be shared between guests, avoid using shared utensils where possible
• If travelling interstate, check the COVID-19 website for most up-to-date travel advice and if travelling by air, wear a face mask for the whole flight

Food safety DOs:

• DO carry your food home in the coolest part of your car.
• DO make sure your fridge is clean, uncluttered and set at a temperature that maintains the food temperature 5°C or below.
• DO use an esky or ice in a tub for drinks instead of overcrowding the fridge.
• DO keep perishable and ready to eat foods in the fridge such as seafood, rice, pasta, salads, dips, cold meats, pates, soft cheeses, eggs and homemade mayonnaise or other raw egg foods.
• DO use a thermometer when cooking poultry, minced meats, sausages and tenderised meats to check they have reached 75 degrees in the centre before serving.
• DO put any perishable leftovers in the fridge within 2 hours, and consume within two or three days
• DO maintain good hand hygiene, washing your hands in warm soapy water before preparing and cooking food, and after handling eggs and raw meat, particularly poultry, burgers and sausages.
• DO remember that if you are pregnant or immunocompromised that you should avoid soft cheese, raw egg foods and cold meats such as ham and seafood.
• DO store raw meat, poultry, eggs and seafood in sealed containers at the bottom shelves of the fridge

Food safety DON'Ts:

• DON'T leave your shopping in a hot car.
• DON'T store leftovers of perishable foods on the kitchen bench.
• DON'T put cooked meat or poultry back on the plate that raw meat was on.
• DON'T allow cooked meals to cool on the bench. As soon as steam stops rising, refrigerate or freeze in a leak proof container.
• DON'T leave perishable nibbles like dips and soft cheese out in the temperature danger zone (between 5 and 60 degrees) for longer than two hours.
• DON'T prepare food if you are vomiting or have diarrhoea.

More information on food safety can be found at www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/foodsafety