LAMBS TO THE SLAUGHTER

Coronavirus Cases at Iowa Meat Plant Double to 1,000+ on Same Day It Reopens

Coronavirus numbers jumped from fewer than 500 announced by governor at the Tyson Foods facility in Waterloo.

The number of workers who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus at an Iowa meat plant doubled on the same day that the facility reopened following a two-week closure, the Des Moines Register reports. More than 1,000 employees at the Tyson Foods plant in Waterloo have now tested positive for the disease, public officials confirmed Thursday, a day after Gov. Kim Reynolds said there had been just under 500 cases. “It’s high. It’s really high. It’s surprising to hear those numbers on the same day they're reopening the plant,” said Chris Schwartz, a Black Hawk County supervisor. Schwartz added that Tyson officials should have acted sooner to protect its employees, calling the slow action of company bosses “incredibly shameful.” Tyson reportedly said it’s now requiring all returning workers to be tested for COVID-19, and those who haven’t been tested won’t be allowed to return to work.