More Hispanic workers than those of other races or ethnicities were impacted by COVID-19 in food processing plants, manufacturing plants, and agriculture workplaces, according to research from the CDC, reports CNN.
The CDC found that 73 percent of workers at meat and poultry plants who were diagnosed with coronavirus were Hispanic or Latino, despite the fact that they only account for 37 percent of the workforce. The survey also found that 6.3 percent of people diagnosed with the virus were Black and 4.1 percent were Asian or Pacific Islander, suggesting that these populations “might be disproportionately affected by COVID-19,” the researchers wrote in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.
"Our study supports findings from prior reports that part of the disproportionate burden of COVID-19 among some racial and ethnic minority groups is likely related to occupational risk," the report said.
The study examined information collected from health departments across 36 states with confirmed COVID-19 cases in food processing and manufacturing plants and agricultural settings between March 1 and May 31.
"These findings support the need for comprehensive testing strategies, coupled with contact tracing and symptom screening, for high-density critical infrastructure workplaces to aid in identifying infections and reducing transmission within the workplace," the study concluded. Full Story
Related: Close to 20,000 Amazon, Whole Foods Employees Infected With COVID-19; USDA: Poultry Food Safety Guidelines are Inadequate.
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