Locals are avoiding local Aldi and Lidl stores due to their proximity to the 2 Sisters poultry processing plant that was forced to close after a coronavirus outbreak. Since then, two hundred workers have tested positive for Covid-19.
The concern felt by those who know the workers at the plant is common. Some told CNN that no one stayed home when they felt sick in the first days of the outbreak, as they would only receive a legal payment for illness worth around 20% of their salary. 2 The sisters denied that their sick pay policy had anything to do with the outbreak.
There have been so many outbreaks at meat-packing factories around the world that scientists are now examining whether the environment inside plants could be part of the problem.
“We can all speculate, but I think there are three things that pop up: these people work very, very close together, it’s cold there and it’s wet,” said Dr. Thomas Kamradt, immunologist and professor at Friedrich-Schiller University University Hospital in Jena , Germany.
Cold and humid environment
Several scientists have suggested that the cold, humid environment inside plants could help the virus spread. “These animal carcasses have to be sprayed with water all the time, so you have sprays and it is cold … it is definitely worth a very thorough investigation,” said Kamradt.
Rowland Kao, professor of veterinary epidemiology and data science at the University of Edinburgh, also noted that experiments have shown that low temperatures cause higher rates of influenza transmission and improve the survival of other coronaviruses such as MERS. “While this is not proven for Covid-19, similar mechanisms may apply,” he told the Science Media Center.
Essential workers packed in tight spaces
Most experts say that social distancing and wearing masks are by far the most effective ways to prevent the spread of the virus. But keeping a distance isn’t always possible in a factory setting.
James Wood, a professor at Cambridge Infectious Diseases, a research center at the University of Cambridge, said epidemics within food processing plants are likely to be caused by a combination of factors “that can make them lethal.”
“People have to be close to each other and shout to make themselves heard … there are people who work long shifts close to each other, all of these things increase the risk of infection,” he said.
Shouting, singing, and speaking aloud are believed to release more virus-laden drops into the air. Crucially, people can transmit the virus without knowing it, without feeling sick.
Vulnerable communities
Outbreaks in meat plants have affected vulnerable communities, including migrants. Jobs in food processing plants are notoriously difficult and are among the lowest paid, often making it difficult for employers to find local staff.
“They are not very popular places to work, so you often end up with immigrants or foreign workers living in large communities around the plants and you have transmission potential that develops outside the plant as well as in the plant itself, Wood said.
A large proportion of the workers in the industry are often foreigners and come from various countries. According to the British Meat Processing Association, more than two thirds of the 75,000 workers employed in meat processing in the UK are migrant workers from other parts of Europe. In the United States, immigrants make nearly 30% of all meat packing plant workers work. In Germany, it is about a third.
Paddy McNaught, the regional official for the Unite union in Wales, said industry workers often do not receive sick pay, another factor that could lead to outbreaks. “So when you’re in a situation like this, when you’re on a low salary, have very little extra income, you’re more likely to take a chance and go to work when it’s hot, instead of taking time off and isolation for 14 days “, said. He added that the industry must ensure that workers have enough protection to be able to take a break without suffering financial problems.
Anna Stewart reported from Llangefni, Ivana Kottasova and Aleesha Khaliq wrote from London and Derby, England.
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