The guidance, based on President Donald Trump’s Opening Up America Again plan, places much focus on cleaning and disinfection practices.  

U.S. meatpacking plants are gradually reopening after putting in place guidance from CDC and OSHA.  

One of the letters directs meat and poultry processing plants that are currently closed and have no clear timetable for resuming operations to submit written documentation of their protocol to USDA.

Workers at a Smithfield Foods plant Milan, MO, have filed a lawsuit to “secure basic protective equipment and protocol changes that will stop the spread of COVID-19 in the plant and surrounding community.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have issued new guidance for the meat and poultry industry that advises creating a COVID-19 assessment and control plan.

CDC says the recommendations are steps that Smithfield Foods may want to consider implementing to address the conditions identified at the plant. The recommendations are discretionary and not required or mandated by CDC.

Frank Yiannas, FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response, answers questions about the state of the U.S. food supply, both now and beyond this public health crisis.

See EmergiProtect’s free app to help retail foodservice establishments during COVID-19.

Here is the European Commission’s COVID-19 and food safety FAQs.

Here is WHO’s interim guidance document regarding food safety and COVID-19 for food businesses.