Congregate and residential workplaces pose a greater threat of infectious disease transmission, adding to outbreaks of respiratory diseases. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is primarily transmitted from user to user through respiratory droplets. Nationwide, the meat and poultry processing industry, a critical component of America’s food infrastructure, employs approximately 500,000 people, many of whom work closely with other employees. [1] Due to reports of the first cases of COVID-19, in determined meat processing facilities, states have been asked to provide aggregate information on the number of meat and poultry processing facilities affected by COVID-19 and the number of staff with COVID -1nine in those services. Array adding deaths similar to COVID-1nine. Qualitative knowledge collected through CDC on-site and remote testing was analyzed and summarized. From April 9 to April 27, aggregate data on COVID-19 cases among 115 meat or poultry processing facilities in 19 states was reported to the CDC. Among those establishments, 4,913 employees (approximately 3%) were diagnosed with COVID-1nine and 20 COVID-1nine-like deaths were reported. Facility barriers to effective protection and control of COVID-1nine come with the difficulty of keeping staff at least 2 meters (6 feet) apart[2] and implementing rapid disinfection rules for COVID-1nine. * Among staff, demanding socioeconomic situations can contribute to running feeling sick, that is, if there are control practices such as bonuses that encourage attendance. Methods to reduce transmission within facilities include symptom screening programs for painters, policies to discourage jobs while displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19, and social distancing by staff. Source control measures (for example, the use of cloth face coverings), as well as increased disinfection of high-touch surfaces, are also vital tactics to avoid exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Mitigation efforts to decrease the transmission of netpainting are also worth considering. Many of these measures can also decrease asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmission. [3] Implementation of these public fitness methods will help protect personnel from COVID-19 in this industry and help maintain critical meat and poultry production infrastructure. [4]
In early April, CDC received an alert about COVID-19 cases among staff at various meat and poultry processing services and responded to requests for on-site or remote technical assistance from state and local authorities. Qualitative testing of on-site and remote threats was conducted. All states that reported at least one case of COVID-19 at a meat or poultry processing plant were contacted for more information. CDC requested aggregate knowledge about the number of meat or poultry institutions affected, the number of staff in affected facilities, the number of staff diagnosed with COVID-19, and the number of COVID-19-related deaths among staff. States have reported COVID-19 among staff with their own case definitions.
Solutions to demanding structural and operational situations that some services followed included adjusting shift start and end times and breaks to increase physical distance between staff. Outdoor rest spaces have been added in some services to decrease contact between staff. Some services have installed physical barriers (e. g. plexiglass) between staff; However, this is not practical for all staff functions. Symptom screening and staff temperature were recently instituted in some services and progress was made in others.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2020;69(18):557-561. © 2020 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
*https://www. cdc. gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility. html. † https://www. cisa. gov/sites/default/files/publications/Version_3. 0_CISA_Guidance_on_Essential_Critical_Infrastructure_Workers_2. pdf. § https://www. cdc. gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/critical-workers/implementing-safety-practices. html.
Abbreviations: COVID-19 = coronavirus disease 2019; N/A = must not have. *Data presented from April 20 to 27, 2020. †Percentage of deaths between instances. §Excludes instances in Pennsylvania and Tennessee because the number of personnel (denominator) is not available in those states. ¶Excludes Iowa instances in the denominator because death count data is not available in that state.
Abbreviation: COVID-19 = coronavirus disease 2019. *Based on CDC box team deployments at 4 sites and data accumulated through calls with state fitness departments. †Based on remote and on-site technical support, many services have put in place forced services or plans to put those strategies into effect.
Jonathan W. Dyal, MD1,2, Michael P. Grant, ScD1, Kendra Broadwater, MPH1, Adam Bjork, PhD1, Michelle A. Waltenburg, DVM1,2, John D. Gibbins, DVM1, Christa Hale, DVM1, Maggie Silver, MPH1, Marc Fischer, MD1, Jonathan Steinberg, MPH1–3, Colin A. Basler, DVM1, Jesica R. Jacobs, PhD1,4, Erin D. Kennedy, DVM1, Suzanne Tomasi, DVM1, Douglas Trout, MD1, Jennifer Hornsby- Myers, MS1, Nadia L. Oussayef, JD1, Lisa J. Delaney, MS1, Ketki Patel, MD, PhD5, Varun Shetty, MD1,2,5, Kelly E. Kline, MPH6, Betsy Schroeder, DVM6, Rachel K. HerlihyArray MD7, Jennifer House, DVM7, Rachel Jervis, MPH7, Joshua L. Clayton, PhD3, Dustin Ortbahn, MPH3, Connie Austin, DVM, PhD8, Erica Berl, DVMnine, Zack Moore, MDnine, Bryan F. Buss, DVM10,11Array Derry Stover, MPH10, Ryan Westergaard, MD, PhD12, Ian Pray, PhD2,12, Meghan DeBolt, MPH13, Amy Person, MD14, Julie Gabel, DVM15, Theresa S. Kittle, MPH16, Pamela Hendren17, Charles Rhea, MPH17, Caroline Holsinger , DrPH18, John Dunn1nine, George Turabelidze20, Farah S. Ahmed, PhD21, Siestke deFijter, MS22, Caitlin S. Pedati, MD23, Karyl Rattay, MD24, Erica E. Smith, PhD24, Carolina Luna-Pinto, MPH1Array Laura A. Cooley, MD1, Sharon Saydah, PhD1, Nykiconia D. Preacely, DrPH1, Ryan A. Maddox, PhD1, Elizabeth Lundeen, PhD1, Bradley Goodwin, PhD1, Sandor E. Karpathy, PhD1, Sean Griffing, PhD1, Mary M. Jenkins, PhD1, Garry Lowry, MPH1, Rachel D. Schwarz, MPH1, Jonathan Yoder, MPH1, Georgina Peacock, MD1, Henry T. Walke, MD1, Dale A. Rose, PhD1, and Margaret A. Honein, PhD1 1CDC COVID Response -1nine Team; 2 Epidemic Intelligence Service, CDC; 3South Dakota Department of Health; 4Laboratory Management Service, CDC; 5Texas Department of State Health Services; 6Pennsylvania Department of Health; 7Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; 8 Illinois Department of Public Health; nine North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services; 10 Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services; 11Career Epidemiology Field Officer Program, CDC; 12 Wisconsin Department of Health Services; 13 Walla Walla County Department of Community Health, Walla Walla, Washington; 14Benton Franklin Health District, Kennewick, Washington; 15 Georgia Department of Public Health; 16 Mississippi State Department of Health; 17 Kentucky Department of Public Health; 18 Virginia Department of Health; 19Tennessee Department of Health; 20 Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services; 21 Kansas Department of Health and Environment; 22 Ohio Department of Health; 23 Iowa Department of Public Health; 24 Delaware Department of Health and Human Services.
Correspondent Jonathan Dyal, pgz7@cdc. gov.
All authors completed and submitted the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.
What do we already know about this topic?
People who run in the network and residential workplaces are at higher risk of contracting and contracting respiratory infections.
What does this bring?
COVID-19 cases have been reported among U. S. personnel. U. S. meat- and poultry processing facilities in 19 states. Of the approximately 130,000 employees at those facilities, there have been 4913 cases and 20 deaths. Factors that possibly threaten infection come with difficulties with physical distancing and hygiene in the office and crowded and shipping conditions.
What are the implications for public practice?
Improving physical distancing, hand hygiene, cleaning and sanitizing, and medical leave policies, and providing educational materials in the languages spoken by staff can decrease COVID-19 in those contexts and keep this critical infrastructure industry running.
You’ve already decided on My Alerts
Click on the subject line below to receive emails when new items become available.