WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued over 100 recommendations to the Smithfield Foods pork-processing plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota following a COVID-19 outbreak.
The South Dakota Department of Health requested an Epi Aid for assistance in developing strategies to help reduce SARS-CoV-2 infections among Smithfield Foods Sioux Falls pork processing plant employees.
The facility was closed earlier this month after more than 783 employee cases and 206 cases linked to employee contact were reported, according to state health officials.
Smithfield's managers told the CDC it has a number of changes planned, including requiring facemasks for all employees, increasing the number of hand sanitizers and adding plexiglass barriers where workers can't be spaced out.
The CDC has recommendations that fill nearly 11 pages of the report, which include staggering shifts, more flexibility in break times and physical spacing.
However, CDC has noted that the recommendations are discretionary and not required or mandated by the agency.
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