WORTHINGTON, Minn. — The JBS Worthington meat processing plant has partially reopened operations Wednesday.
The facility closed last month after around 500 of its workers tested positive for coronavirus.
The reopening of the plant follows President Trump signing an executive order to keep meat processors open during the pandemic. JBS will be operating with reduced staff.
During the plant closure, the facility had to euthanize hogs, but as it reopens workers will now go back to processing.
Local union partners of the plant sent a letter outlining the preventative measures that will be set in place. This includes enforced social distancing, frequent and thorough disinfecting, and daily communication between management and work staff.
The facility will also conduct health screenings for workers, and any worker who exhibits symptoms or fails the screening process prior to entering the factory will be tested for COVID-19, according to the company.
The union's president Matt Utecht said he was pleasantly surprised with how well things were running with social distancing, work station dividers and the amount of meat they were able to process even with less staff.
RELATED: JBS Worthington to reopen partially
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