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There's a myth floating around that meat factory outbreaks *must* be the result of greedy negligence on behalf of meat factory owners and/or related to living conditions.
In some cases, that's true, but the deepest analysis into a large outbreak paints a different picture:
In some cases, that's true, but the deepest analysis into a large outbreak paints a different picture:
The study into the Tönnies outbreak in Rheda-Wiedenbrück where 1,500 workers tested positive was forensically detailed, including genomic analysis of strains and helped by the identification of the index case (the first person to introduce the virus to the factory).
You would assume given 1,500 workers ultimately ended up infected that there was negligence on behalf of the company and/or the crowded living conditions of the migrant workers were to blame.
Ok lets look at the measures implemented by the company *before* the outbreak:
Ok lets look at the measures implemented by the company *before* the outbreak:
1. Masks compulsory.
2. One-way traffic in hallways introduced to reduce interaction of people.
3. Hand-sanitizers were present and mandatory at every entrance.
4. Thermal scanners checked all employees temperature before entering the building.
2. One-way traffic in hallways introduced to reduce interaction of people.
3. Hand-sanitizers were present and mandatory at every entrance.
4. Thermal scanners checked all employees temperature before entering the building.
5. Rotation between working centers (previously normal) was prohibited.
6. Lunch and break times were staggered, with people only allowed to eat with members of their own working center.
7. There was 2 meters between each seat in the canteen.
6. Lunch and break times were staggered, with people only allowed to eat with members of their own working center.
7. There was 2 meters between each seat in the canteen.
8. The company built a testing center (swabbing center to be accurate + contract with Labor Kneißler GmbH lab in Burglengenfeld).
9. Ran a multi-lingual campaign to encourage workers to use testing center if they felt symptoms or there was a possibility they were a close contact.
9. Ran a multi-lingual campaign to encourage workers to use testing center if they felt symptoms or there was a possibility they were a close contact.
10. Work assessments carried out across the plant, to increase physical distance between each worker.
11. Multiple unannounced inspections of the new measures were conducted by a team from Occupational Health and Safety (Berufsgenossenschaft Nahrungsmittel
und Gastgewerbe).
11. Multiple unannounced inspections of the new measures were conducted by a team from Occupational Health and Safety (Berufsgenossenschaft Nahrungsmittel
und Gastgewerbe).
The plant passed all inspections.
Now, I've a hard time looking at that picture and making an argument the company were negligent.
They spent tens of millions on these safety measures across all their plants, the full-time swabbing center and lab contract alone costs a fortune.
Now, I've a hard time looking at that picture and making an argument the company were negligent.
They spent tens of millions on these safety measures across all their plants, the full-time swabbing center and lab contract alone costs a fortune.
Despite all that expenditure on safety, and all that effort, they STILL had one of the worst outbreaks in the world.
I've no doubt in my mind that the specific conditions within meat factories make clusters inevitable when community transmission in the locality is very high.
I've no doubt in my mind that the specific conditions within meat factories make clusters inevitable when community transmission in the locality is very high.
Ok, so what went wrong?
The suspected index case, B1, worked at the center of the conveyor belt line in the pork deboning area. He wore a mask as mandated.
Most of the initial onward transmission occurred within 8 meters of him:
The suspected index case, B1, worked at the center of the conveyor belt line in the pork deboning area. He wore a mask as mandated.
Most of the initial onward transmission occurred within 8 meters of him:
The other analysis performed was whether the work conditions, travel to work conditions or crowded living conditions (44 bedrooms for 200 people) contributed more to the super-spreading event and the answer to that was a resounding "work":
That isn't to say crowded living conditions such as DP actually help anything.
On the contrary, the study notes links to secondary clusters, outside factory.
But the transmission for the major outbreak happened at work, not at home or en route to work.
On the contrary, the study notes links to secondary clusters, outside factory.
But the transmission for the major outbreak happened at work, not at home or en route to work.
This is just one look at a super-spreading event in a meat factory. I checked funding and competing interests and it was German-Government funded, so they really just wanted to get to the bottom of what happened here and how it went so wrong.
https://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=383099002083114095099106111089092077116047001036057054066094006067070017095066082026035003038107039015041023081002124087096109060083012062088082021008018082084098025041073009089111024065108084094072085123076077018111066007031001078001071073096007105099&EXT=pdf
https://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=383099002083114095099106111089092077116047001036057054066094006067070017095066082026035003038107039015041023081002124087096109060083012062088082021008018082084098025041073009089111024065108084094072085123076077018111066007031001078001071073096007105099&EXT=pdf
Among conclusions drawn were:
1. 2 meters is insufficient spacing to prevent transmission due to air speed and room temperature in parts of meat factories.
2. Quarantine of workers must take place more quickly after the initial positive.
1. 2 meters is insufficient spacing to prevent transmission due to air speed and room temperature in parts of meat factories.
2. Quarantine of workers must take place more quickly after the initial positive.
There will be meat factories all over the world who did all they could to prevent an outbreak at work - and still end up with catastrophic levels of infection.
The nature of those facilities are ripe for Covid19 to prosper.
It's not as simple as "Larry Goodman".
The nature of those facilities are ripe for Covid19 to prosper.
It's not as simple as "Larry Goodman".
