Popular Milton Keynes health club and gym denies 'cover up' over Covid case

A health club has denied it tried to cover up the fact that a member of staff tested positive for Covid while at work.

Bosses at Bannatyne in Central Milton Keynes say all the necessary precautions were taken and that the gym takes its Covid responsibilities very seriously.

A member of the health club and gym contacted the MK Citizen to express concerns after visiting the facility last Friday.

The member, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: "While I was in the building having a coffee in the café area of the health club there was commotion going on with members of staff.

"A member of team working in the kitchen area had done a Covid test at work which had come back positive... She had been serving food all morning without any mask and was shouting to other members of staff that she had done a test."

The whistleblower claims she heard management ask the staff to "keep it quiet". But Bannatyne insist the staff member left the premises within minutes before they were deep cleaned.

The member continued: "I saw no sanitation of anything being wiped down. She (the woman who had the positive test) remained in the building still for a short time, talking away.

"I have not received any messages from NHS to say I have been in contact with someone who has had Covid. I dread to think how many people have no idea they are vulnerable and spreading this virus."

A spokesman for Bannatyne told the Citizen: “A member of staff returned a positive lateral flow test and left the club within a few minutes. The areas they worked in were deep cleaned and as a precaution a colleague also left the club.

"The person involved did not come in close contact with any members. Our Covid protocols were recently praised as excellent during a HSE spot check, and we take these responsibilities very seriously. If a positive PCR test is advised, we will follow Government track and trace procedures."

The member of staff had completed a lateral flow test rather than a PCR. This explains why other people at Bannatyne were not contacted by NHS Test and Trace as that only applies when someone takes an official PCR test.