Meatpacking facilities still present challenge to containing COVID-19, CDC says
As COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the country this summer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday meatpacking plants still present challenges in preventing transmission of the virus and that racial or ethnic minority workers are at much higher risk of getting sick and dying.
A new CDC analysis found that 16,233 workers in meat and poultry processing plants were infected with COVID-19 in April or May, according to data reported by 23 states. Eighty-seven percent of the workers were racial or ethnic minorities and 86 have died.
Of the 14 states that reported the total number of workers in affected meat and poultry facilities, 9% of all workers were diagnosed with COVID-19. In specific facilities, the positive rate ranged from 3.1% to 24.5% per facility.
"High population-density workplace settings such as meat and poultry processing facilities present ongoing challenges to preventing and reducing the risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission," CDC wrote in its report, saying more widespread strategies like universal testing could help limit the risk for workers.
"Targeted, workplace-specific prevention strategies are critical to reducing COVID-19–associated health disparities among vulnerable populations."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/meatpacking-facilities-still-present-challenge-to-containing-covid-19-cdc-says/ar-BB16rWYF?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=DELLDHP
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