Employee hygiene in packing plants is now not just about protecting food, but protecting employees.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected 4,913 employees at meat and poultry processing facilities — or 3 percent of that work force — with 20 deaths, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported as of April 27. The data were provided by 115 plants in 19 states with 130,000 employees. About half a million workers are employed at meat and poultry processing facilities, noted the report.