OMAHA - Experience since March has dramatically shown that meatpacking plants are especially vulnerable to becoming COVID-19 hot spots. Minimizing exposure risks at packing plants is a key step for any U.S. state to contain its virus threat. A new survey of packing plant workers by the University of Nebraska Medical Center shows that plants in Nebraska have made progress, but they still must address remaining shortcomings: ensuring social distancing at work, and fulfilling commitments to provide paid time off.

Of the 600 workers surveyed by UNMC, only a minority — 39% — said their plants had spaced out workers on the production line and in common areas such as cafeterias and locker rooms. Social distancing is necessary to bolster the protection offered by steps the plants have taken: providing masks, checking workers’ temperatures and posting COVID-19 info, said Athena Ramos, an assistant professor at UNMC who works at the Center for Reducing Health Disparities and crafted the survey.

The more that packing companies step up their actions to contain the virus threat, the better for those businesses, their communities and Nebraska as a whole. This is no time to let up in the fight against the virus.

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