Document Type
Article
Journal Title
Emerging Infectious Diseases
Publication Date
2021
Volume
27
Abstract
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has severely impacted the meat processing industry in the United States. We sought to detail demographics and outcomes of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections among workers in Nebraska meat processing facilities and determine the effects of initiating universal mask policies and installing physical barriers at 13 meat processing facilities. During April 1-July 31, 2020, COVID-19 was diagnosed in 5,002 Nebraska meat processing workers (attack rate 19%). After initiating both universal masking and physical barrier interventions, 8/13 facilities showed a statistically significant reduction in COVID-19 incidence inspecifically, high attack rates among meat processing industry workers, disproportionately high risk of adverse outcomes among ethnic and racial minority groups and men, and effectiveness of using multiple prevention and control interventions to reduce disease transmission.
DOI Link
ISSN
1080-6059
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication 1.0 License.
Rights
U.S. Government Work
Recommended Citation
Herstein, Jocelyn J.; Degarege, Abraham; Stover, Derry; Austin, Christopher; Schwedhelm, Michelle M.; Lawler, James V.; Lowe, John; Ramos, Athena K.; and Donahue, Matthew, "Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission among Meat Processing Workers in Nebraska, USA, and Effectiveness of Risk Mitigation Measures" (2021). Journal Articles: Epidemiology. 116.
https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/coph_epidem_articles/116