According to data collected by FERN, as of May 13 at 12pm ET, at least 206 meatpacking and processed food plants and 9 farms have confirmed cases of Covid-19, and at least two meatpacking plants and five processed food plants are currently closed. At least 15,525 workers (14,136 meatpacking workers, 1,017 food processing workers
Nebraska Governor – If we don’t tell you it really isn’t happening
So, let me get this right, the President orders meat processing plants to open and a Governor orders to withhold information about COVID illnesses in those same plants.
From the CDC as of May 1: COVID-19 cases among U.S. workers in 115 meat and poultry processing facilities were reported by 19 states. Among approximately 130,000
Re: Food Safety during the time of COVID-19 – we have work to do
Infections from five of eight pathogens tracked by the CDC are on the rise. See MMWR this week.
Initial analysis of data comparing the period from 2016-2018 with numbers for 2019 (see table below) shows that the federal government’s Healthy People 2020 targets for reducing foodborne illness will not be met, according to the Morbidity
DOJ weighs in on legal repercussions of intentionally infecting others with COVID-19
Jenny Schell posted a great piece at Coronavirus Blog:
Along with every crisis there are those who look to exploit the general panic that comes with it. From fake cures and tests to hoarding and price-gouging, law enforcement have seen any number of reprehensible actions taken by individuals across the country. See Department of
Coronavirus, COVID-19, hitting Seattle-area hard
According to the Seattle & King County Department of Health, with a number of viral respiratory germs circulating right now, Public Health – Seattle & King County urges King County residents to take precautions if they are ill, but not to assume it is COVID-19.
Public Health is reporting 33 new COVID-19 cases today. The
COVID-19 – Coronavirus – what you need to know
Here is the most current thinking from the Pacific Northwest:
COVID-19 is similar to the seasonal flu (influenza) in that:
- Both cause fever, cough, body aches, fatigue; sometimes vomiting and diarrhea.
- Both can be mild or severe — even fatal in rare cases
- Both can result in pneumonia
- Both can be spread from person to
Hepatitis A: Two restaurants – Two different reactions – Kudos to Chili’s
Restaurants, PLEASE vaccinate your employees.
According to New York press reports, the Oneida County Health Department as well as Rome Memorial Hospital are partnering to provide Hepatitis A. vaccinations to those who think they were exposed.
This comes after the health department announced that an employee at Cianfroccos in Rome tested positive for Hepatitis A.
After multiple Jimmy John’s outbreaks the FDA warns them to fix the problems
From the FDA:
Although you stated that corrective actions were implemented following the 2019 and 2012 outbreaks, you have not provided FDA with any information demonstrating long-term, sustainable corrections have been implemented throughout your organization to prevent this violation from recurring in the future. For example, providing FDA with documentation of policies and practices demonstrating
Pet food with Salmonella is a problem, but Human food with Salmonella not?
The FDA is cautioning pet owners not to feed their pet’s certain Aunt Jeni’s Home Made frozen raw pet food “as it poses a serious threat to consumer and animal health” because of Salmonella Infantis contamination.
The Salmonella was discovered in January when the FDA collected one retail sample of Aunt Jeni’s Home Made Turkey
Preliminary Test results for Fresh Herbs and Avocados released by FDA
Fresh Herbs Results as of 10/1/2019
The FDA plans to collect 1,600 fresh herbs samples (761 domestic, and 839 of international origin) under this assignment. As of September 30, 2019, the agency had collected and tested 746 domestic samples (98 percent) and 468 import samples (56 percent) of the totals. The following figures summarize the