MAY 19, 2020 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
Helping the community A ixture of Brimbank’s trade community is offering a helping hand in trying times. Family-owned D. & H. Hardware has been located on Glengala Road, Sunshine for 40 years. During that time there’s been plenty of ups and downs, but store manager Arthur Palioudis said the philosophy remains the same. “We’ve been here for 40 years and we want to be around for another 40 years,” he said. “There’s probably not a house in the western suburbs that doesn’t have at least a screw in it that came from here. We want to continue to help the community, even through these trying times.” The store has adapted its service model to continue trading during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s offering customers in the western suburbs free delivery on items with no limits, online and phone ordering, and a dedicated drive-through pick-up service. Mr Palioudis said it was a way of ensuring nobody missed out. “The other day I delivered a few plants to an older man in isolation. It was good for him … it gives him a way to be active.” Details: www.facebook.com/Glengala. Road.Hardware/ Tate Papworth
Helen, Arthur and Dimitrios Palioudis from D. & H. Hardware. (Damjan Janevski) 208533_02
McDonald’s closes stores By Tate Papworth hree McDonald’s restaurants in Brimbank are among 12 across Melbourne’s north-west to be shut down for deep cleaning following a truck driver testing positive to COVID-19. Restaurants closed are Taylors Lakes, Calder Highway northbound/outbound and southbound/inbound, Sunbury, Melton East, Campbellield, Riverdale Village, BP Rockbank Service Centre outbound, Laverton North, Yallambie, Hoppers Crossing and Sandown. A McDonald’s spokesperson on Sunday
night said the truck driver was employed by an external service provider and had made deliveries to the 12 restaurants, interacting with a small number of employees at each store, while asymptomatic. No other employees had tested positive for the virus. “Potential close contacts and employees who have worked speciic shits during and ater the truck driver’s delivery have been instructed not to return to work for 14 days and advised to be tested,” a McDonald’s spokesperson said. “Out of an abundance of caution, we have
made the decision to close and conduct a deep clean of 12 restaurants.” According to Department of Health and Human Services igures, the number of active COVID-19 cases across Brimbank had dropped to eight as of Sunday, bringing the overall total of cases within the municipality to 60. he number of cases linked to the outbreak at Brooklyn-based abattoir Cedar Meats hit 99. Last week, Victoria’s chief health oicer Brett Sutton conceded the cluster, which included 90 infections of 64 staf and 26 close, contacts could have been handled better.
“It’s pretty clear it’s been an explosive outbreak in terms of numbers,” Professor Sutton told 3AW. “I think two linked cases is enough to shut a place down. Maybe we shouldn’t have waited for a third linked case.” It followed conirmation that WorkSafe would be investigating the site, looking speciically at whether social distancing measures were in place and if workers were provided with appropriate personal protective equipment. Cedar Meats general manager Tony Kairouz said he welcomed the WorkSafe investigation.
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