admin Springdale, Arkansas (KWWL) — Tyson Foods, Inc. is introducing a new COVID-19 monitoring program and expanding its occupational health staff, as part of the company’s commitment to employee safety.
The strategy comprises ongoing COVID-19 testing of workers without symptoms, also those who show symptoms or have been in close contact with covid positive person.
“While the protective measures we’ve implemented in our facilities are working well, we remain vigilant about keeping our team members safe and are always evaluating ways to do more,” stated Donnie King, Tyson Foods group president and chief administrative officer.
“We believe launching a new, strategic approach to monitoring and adding the health staff to support it will help further our efforts to go on the offensive against the virus. Adding more resources and technologies reinforces our commitment to protecting our team members, their families and plant communities.”
Tyson Foods made a chief medical officer position and aims to add almost 200 nurses and administrative support personnel to supplement the more than 400 people currently part of the company’s health services team.
The additional nurses will do on-site testing, help with case management and coordinate treatment for team members who is affected by the virus.
Currently, less than one percent of Tyson Foods’ United States workforce has active COVID-19, company officials said.
The new monitoring strategy Tyson Foods is consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance.
“As the largest union for America’s meatpacking workers, we welcome this important step by Tyson Foods, which demonstrates the leadership needed to strengthen COVID monitoring across the industry,” said Marc Perrone,President, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International.
“UFCW is urging all companies in the industry to follow Tyson’s lead and take immediate action to expand COVID monitoring as we work to flatten the curve. Together, we will continue to look for new and better ways to protect the health and safety of the brave frontline workers who are so important to the nation’s food production system.”
The testing program comprises three categories:
Strategic, always on monitoring: Employees without symptoms may be selected for testing based on an algorithm-based selection process. The number of employees tested each week will be adjusted based on factors like the number of positive cases involving plant workers and the community.
Symptomatic team members: The company will do health screenings everyday as employees arrive for work. Employees with symptoms will be tested using CDC guidance.
Close contacts: Employees who came in close contact with co-workers who have symptoms or have tested positive will be tested according to CDC guidance.
Medical experts stated they believe this monitoring approach is the best way to screen for COVID-19 which helps determine the prevalence of the virus and how to keep it under control.
“The new monitoring program we helped Tyson create is a science-first approach that’s really on the cutting edge of how workplaces can best mitigate the risk of the virus,” informed Dr. Daniel Castillo, chief medical officer of Matrix Medical Network.
The company formed a covid-19 task force in January.
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