Sarah Reisetter, Deputy Director of The Iowa Department of Public Health indicated to media that the State would continue to provide data on COVID-19 testing at specific plants. This policy is in contrast to the state of Nebraska that will not release data relating to the incidence rates in packing plants in which the infection has emerged.
At issue is the presence of COVID-19 among workers in two hog plants operated by Perdue Farms in Sioux City and Sioux Center. A total of 89 workers tested positive out of 425 submitting specimens at the beginning of May. All apparently were asymptomatic. Kerri McClimen, Vice President of Communications for Perdue noted "everyone is healthy and back at work and our attendance is high". Perdue Farms has been proactive in implementing protective measures for workers and is aggressive in testing and quarantine.
The Iowa Medical Director has determined that it is "in the public interest to name businesses if 10 percent or more of their employees are ill or absent" This policy is strongly supported since communities in which affected plants are located have the right to know the prevalence of COVID-19 to initiate and maintain protective measures.
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Sioux City IA. Location of hog packing plants |