Meatpacking outbreaks felt among minorities

A new report studying the impact of the coronavirus on workers at meat processing plants has found that 87 per cent of people infected were racial or ethnic minorities and that at least 86 workers have died.

The report released Tuesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention examined more than 16,000 COVID-19 cases at 239 plants in 21 states. It offers perspective on how the virus devastated U.S. pork, beef and poultry processing plants, but the figures likely understate the problem as Iowa officials declined to participate in the study.

Iowa is the nation’s largest pork-producing state and saw severe coronavirus outbreaks at several huge processing plants.

The CDC report found 87 per cent of coronavirus cases occurred among racial and ethnic minorities even though they made up 61 per cent of the overall worker population. The data shows 56 per cent of coronavirus illnesses involved Hispanic workers, 19 per cent were non-Hispanic Blacks and 12 per cent were Asians. The data showed 13 per cent of coronavirus cases involved white workers, who made up 39 per cent of the overall workforce studied.

“The effects of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic minority groups are not yet fully understood; however, current data indicate a disproportionate burden of illness and death among these populations,” the CDC said. “Ongoing efforts to reduce incidence and better understand the effects of COVID-19 on the health of racial and ethnic minorities are important to ensure that workplace-specific prevention strategies and intervention messages are tailored to those groups most affected by COVID-19.”

The agency said about nine per cent of more than 112,600 meatpacking plant workers at plants in 14 states came down with the illness caused by the coronavirus. The percentage of workers with COVID-19 ranged from 3.1 per cent to 24.5 per cent per facility.

United Food and Commercial Workers Union International Vice-President Mark Lauritsen said workers need real enforcement of the highest safety standards in meatpacking and other essential industries.