CDC Monitors Pork Plant, Cass County COVID-19 Outbreak
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Tyson Foods is installing infrared thermometers at its plants to check employees. (photo courtesy: Tyson Foods)
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Tyson Foods is installing plastic barriers between work stations. (photo courtesy: Tyson Foods)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe COVID-19 outbreak at the Tyson Foods pork processing plant in Logansport has captured the attention of one of the top medical professionals in the U.S. and a key advisor to President Donald Trump.
The Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Robert Redfield, discussed the situation this past weekend with Indiana State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box.
“Director Redfield… directly reached out to me about the importance of this (issue) stating that sometimes we don’t realize when things close here, that they were up to almost 25% of pork-producing factories were actually closing,” said Box during Governor Holcomb’s daily press briefing. “They had just gotten the new guidelines out, and we walked through everything that we were talking about, and really we’re doing exactly what they wanted us to do.”
Cass County, where the plant is located, has 1,125 positive cases, according to the latest data from ISDH.
Box said half of the approximately 2,200 employees at the Tyson facility tested positive for the disease.
“But of course, we want to continue to protect employees. So, if you look at even Tyson, 50% of employees were positive up there, but another 50% were not,” said Box.
She said with social distancing, the use of personal protective gear, employee screening, and the physical barriers Tyson has installed, there is no reason healthy workers cannot return to work at the Tyson plant.
“Our goal is to keep the plants open, but not at the expense of the health of the individuals, the employees that work there,” Box said.
On Tuesday, President Trump signed an executive order that compels plants to remain open during the coronavirus pandemic. Governor Holcomb was asked about the presidential directive during his news conference.
“I agree with making sure the supply chain, that meatpacking supply chain, is getting to market. We want to make sure that our groceries are stocked we want to make sure that you can go and provide for your families,” said Holcomb. “Now having said that, we’ll be there, we’ve been testing there. We want to make sure the bottom line is…it’s done in a safe and timely fashion.”
View Gov. Holcomb’s press briefing in the video below: