Foster Farms COVID-19 deaths among worst work-related outbreaks in California, official says
It’s been just over a week since the Merced County Department of Public Health announced the Foster Farms plant in Livingston could reopen following shutdown orders due to a severe COVID-19 outbreak.
At least 392 Foster Farms employees tested positive for COVID-19, and at least eight died due to the outbreak.
Per capita, Livingston has the highest rate of COVID-19 cases in Merced County — largely due to that outbreak, County Public Health officials said at a Tuesday coronavirus update to the Board of Supervisors.
“This is one of the largest occupational fatalities experienced during COVID-19 in the state of California . . . this is significantly a big deal,” Merced County Public Health Director Dr. Rebecca Nanyonjo-Kemp said at the meeting.
Statements made by the poultry company say it followed CDC guidelines since March.
But multiple county residents spoke up during Tuesday’s public comment session at the Board of Supervisors meeting, stating continued concern over the Foster Farms incident.
“I think it’s important for this board to consider an ordinance for worker’s protections because we don’t want to see another outbreak like this happen,” said Sheng Xiong, a policy advocate for the Fresno-based Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability.
Several residents echoed the request for the county to pass an enforceable ordinance aimed at worker safety.
Some also recommended the ordinance include rapid COVID-19 testing, notification of exposure within 24 hours, paid time off while ill or awaiting test results, and penalties for violating the ordinance.
County Supervisors did not directly comment Tuesday on the possibility of an ordinance.
Supervisor Lee Lor encouraged constituents to keep vocalizing their thoughts about the Foster Farms outbreak and the county’s general response to COVID-19.
Nanyonjo-Kemp said significant strides had been made in cooperation with Foster Farms in the weeks since the severity of the outbreak was realized.
Weeks and weekends were spent communicating with the company, plus state and local officials like Livingston Mayor Gurpal Samra, she said.
County Public Health issued multiple rounds of rapid testing and robust precautions at the plant that allowed it to reopen less than two weeks after the outbreak was first announced.
Still, Foster Farm’s compliance with stringent safety measures will continue to be monitored by public health officials, Nanyonjo-Kemp said.
Despite criticism from the public and the media, Nanyonjo-Kemp said officials from the governor’s office, Attorney General’s Office, and the California Department of Public Health all reached out to congratulate Merced County’s handling of the outbreak.
The county’s response is being looked to as a model to handle similar outbreaks, she said.
“Even now, we’re still getting complaints that we didn’t do enough,” said Supervisor Rodrigo Espinoza, whose district includes Livingston.
“But a lot of the public didn’t see the background negotiations.”
This story was originally published September 16, 2020 at 11:12 AM with the headline "Foster Farms COVID-19 deaths among worst work-related outbreaks in California, official says."
