Officials at the Environmental Health Department of the Ministry of Health has happily reported that there were no outbreaks of foodborne illnesses during the festive week.
“I am very delighted to announce that there were no outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, commonly known as food poisoning in Dominica during the festive week,” Chief Environmental Health Officer, Tassie Thomas said.
She expressed her sincere appreciation to all the food handlers who managed and prepared food for patrons during the past week of festivities.
“This outcome reflects the hard work of our environmental health staff and it demonstrates that the food handlers were attentive to our food safety training and applied the information wisely,” Thomas stated. “Keep up the great work.”
She continued, “To my environmental health team, excellent job everyone.”
Foodborne illness usually arises from improper handling, preparation, or food storage. Good hygiene practices before, during, and after food preparation can reduce the chances of contracting an illness. The consensus in the public health community is that regular hand-washing is one of the most effective defenses against the spread of foodborne illness.
This year’s independence celebration is being observed under the theme: “Peyi Nou Kado Nou”.
I personally know someone who sells barbeque on the roadside. she does not know that she needs to wash her hands after leaving the bathroom. Her home sometimes does not have toilet paper. She knows nothing about contact tracing. But she got a food handlers permit without getting any training from the Ministry of Health. so what do they expect?