Eid-ul-Azha is around the corner, but this time it is different. On one hand there is qurbani, the sacrifice of animals, and on the other hand there is coronavirus. So extreme care must be taken, right from the slaughter of the animal down to the cooking. If not, the qurbani festival can spur rapid transmission of the virus.
It is vital to follow these 10 tips in the slaughter of the animals and the subsequent waste disposal:
1. The place where the slaughter and the chopping of the meat is to take place must be cleaned, sanitised and thoroughly dried before and after the work is carried out.
2. Those who will carry out the slaughter, skin the animal and chop the meat, must definitely wear masks, gloves and sanitised rubber shoes. Before and after work they must wash their hands and the exposed parts of their bodies with soap and warm water.
3. There can be NO sneezing or coughing around the animal, the skin or the meat. There can be no crowding around the area were the slaughter, skinning and chopping of meat is done. Those working will maintain a distance of at least three feet between each other.
4. The vessels in which the meat is to be placed must be thoroughly washed with soap and water before and after use.
5. After the work is over, all the waste must be placed in a bag, the opening must be securely tied, and then the bag kept at the place designated by the local administration or city corporation. If not, a hole must be dug and the waste buried underground.
6. When cooking, hands must be thoroughly washed with soap and warm water before and after handling the meat.
7. It must be ensured that each and every piece of the meat is well and thoroughly cooked.
8. The vessel holding the meat, the cutting board, the knives, etc, all must be thoroughly washed with warm water and soap.
9. For storing meat in the freezer, it is best to use small packets, properly sealed.
10. Every time you remove raw meat from the freezer, make sure you follow the above steps.
Nurun Nahar Dilruba is a nutritionist and teacher at the National University, Gazipur