Orange businessman slams social media gossip

But when he was made aware of a post on social media he said spread fictitious gossip about his staff having COVID, he authorised staff to hit back.

"Hey everyone," began a Facebook post from Mr Gaeta's business Barrett's Shoppe on January 5.

"There have been some reports circling around a few different social media sites claiming that 2 of our drivers had contracted Covid 19.

"These reports are 100% false."

Barrett's Shoppe is a supplier to Birdie Noshery & Drinking Est. on Summer Street, where a man who later tested positive for COVID visted on January 3 between 12pm and 2pm.

"We ... had delivered there Monday morning [January 4] and as a precautionary measure have sent our drivers off for a test, as per the NSW health authorities guidelines," the post continued.

"These sort of comments can be very damaging to our company and can spread a lot of unnecessary panic among the public, as we service a lot of businesses in and around Orange.

"Anyone wanting to post those sorts of defamatory comments on Facebook or any other outlet will be met with legal action."

Mr Gaeta said he had been left no alternative but to threaten legal action against a person who posted on social media, and that the post in question had been hastily taken down.

"There are no active cases in Orange, so how can two of my drivers be positive?" said an exasperated Mr Gaeta.

"It was a typical example of the malicious innuendo that comes out of social media."

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