What must be done if a kitchen staff member has a contagious illness?

When a kitchen staff member has a contagious illness, sending them home until they are well is crucial for maintaining food safety and preventing the spread of illness to other staff and customers. Contagious illnesses can be transmitted through food handling and close contact, leading to potential outbreaks that can affect many individuals. By ensuring that the affected staff member does not work until they are fully recovered, the kitchen minimizes the risk of cross-contamination and helps protect the health of both employees and patrons.

Allowing the staff member to work if they feel healthy can be misleading, as individuals can still be contagious even if they do not exhibit symptoms. Similarly, having them work from home is not feasible in a kitchen setting where physical presence is required. Providing gloves does not mitigate the risk of transmitting a contagious illness since the illness could still spread through other means, such as airborne particles. Hence, the best course of action is to send the ill staff member home until they are completely recovered.