Local COVID cases update – Pepe’s Ducks and Red Rooster – and how to get your staff vaccinated

Here are two local venues where people with COVID have visited, one in Windsor, the other South Windsor, and both, coincidentally, in the poultry and food business.

Windsor’s temporarily shuttered Red Rooster today – pic Paul Caleo

The one to mostly be aware of is Windsor’s Red Rooster. The fast-food venue on Macquarie St is closed after a staff member worked Monday August 23 to Friday August 27 while possibly COVID-infected.

A spokesperson told the Post this morning the team member was not symptomatic during their shifts, but got a test on Sunday August 29 which proved positive.

Anyone who may have visited the outlet for takeaway during that week would be advised to get tested for COVID.

The store has temporarily closed, said the spokesperson, and they can’t give a reopening date yet.

“As soon as we were notified of the positive result on Sunday, our emergency process was immediately activated which includes:

• Closing the restaurant

• All co-workers instructed to undertake testing and self-isolate for 14 days. Team members must then return a negative result before returning to work.

• Sanitization and deep cleaning of the restaurant.

“Due to limited staffing resources, the Franchise Partner is unable to reopen the restaurant until the team who are currently in self-isolation for 14 days return a negative result before returning to work,” said the spokesperson.

“As always, we are committed to ensuring the health and safety of our team, our customers and our community. We look forward to welcoming everyone back and serving our community when we are able to safely to so.”

Meanwhile, on Tuesday this week, August 31, a worker from Blacktown at South Windsor’s Pepe’s Ducks – they employ 85 people – tested positive for COVID which led to close contacts of the worker having to get tested and go off site to isolate for 14 days.

Part of the plant is closed for three days, so up until tomorrow – Friday – for a deep clean, though CEO John Houston told the

The notice at Red Rooster – pic Paul Caleo

Post this morning the company was allowed office staff on other parts of the site – basically admin staff – and they will fully reopen on Monday.

The Department of Health and Department of Primary Industries have both been on site checking Pepe’s Ducks at Walker St, and Mr Houston said they were pleased with the way the company had reacted to the incident, so allowing them to reopen from Monday.

There’s one major plus on Pepe’s Ducks’ side – the workforce is 91.5% vaccinated – most of them on double dose jabs. How did they do that?

“We offered $200 to each worker who got vaccinated,” said Mr Houston this morning. Clearly, money talks.

We’ll keep chasing up and finding out what’s happening with COVID across the Hawkesbury. If you hear of venues, receive NSW Health text messages, or work somewhere where COVID has appeared – let us know and we’ll get all the facts to help everyone in the community become more aware.

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