Letter to Robert R. Redfield, MD, Director of Center for Disease Control and Prevention - DeGette raises alarm at insufficient coronavirus protections for food production workers

Letter

Dear Dr. Redfield:

We write regarding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) efforts to
protect food production workers from the dangers of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Sustaining the nation's food supply is critical. However, given the growing number of COVID19 outbreaks in food production plants across the country, we are concerned that existing federal
guidance may not be sufficient to protect the health of these vulnerable workers--many of whom
are people of color or from low-income communities.

As the nation's health protection agency, CDC plays a critical role in ensuring the safety
of the food production workforce, particularly in the midst of a pandemic. Other federal
agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA), have relied on CDC guidance in issuing their own respective COVID-19
guidance for food production workers. Additionally, public health officials may rely on CDC's
epidemiological assistance teams, known as "Epi-Aid," to investigate urgent public health
problems when requested. The South Dakota Department of Health, for example, requested
CDC Epi-Aid assistance in developing strategies to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 among employees at a Sioux Falls pork processing plant.

On April 26, CDC and the Department of Labor's (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) released interim guidance for meat and poultry facilities, which includes
suggestions for changes to practices and processes when feasible, though management
compliance is voluntary. On April 28, the President issued an Executive Order requiring meat
and poultry processing plants to continue operations consistent with the CDC and OSHA
guidance. Labor unions and public health experts caution that the guidance issued to date is
unenforceable and falls short of the practices necessary to protect food production workers.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, food production workers are at an increased
risk of acquiring and transmitting the virus. A recent CDC report found there were nearly 5,000
COVID-19 cases and 20 related deaths among roughly 130,000 workers in 115 meat and poultry
facilities from April 9 to April 27.The report identified a number of safety challenges facing
these workers, such as crowded conditions and management practices that may incentivize
attendance even when ill. For instance, three of the country's largest meat processors reportedly
told employees to continue working while they were sick, including employees at a plant in
Greeley, Colorado, where 64 percent of workers with COVID-19 continued working while
symptomatic.

The need to protect the health of food production workers extends beyond those in meat
and poultry facilities. According to the Food and Environment Reporting Network, as of May
11, at least 194 meat and processed food plants reported more than 13,500 COVID-19 confirmed
cases. These outbreaks have occurred among workers at a range of food processing facilities,
such as those producing cereal and baked goods, as well as frozen vegetables and premade salad
facilities.

The breadth of the COVID-19 outbreaks among workers in food production facilities
presents disturbing health inequities for those who are low-income, people of color, and
immigrant communities who are more likely to work in these settings. In South Dakota, for
example, the disproportionate rate of COVID-19 among people who are Black, Hispanic, and
people of Asian descent is attributed in large part to the outbreak that occurred at the pork
processing plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Across the nation, Latino labor and civil rights advocates have raised alarm given the
number of Latino workers in the food production industry.14 They note that these workers are
"struggling to get adequate protective supplies and to distance themselves from other workers."
Workers are also lacking safety information about COVID-19, such as at the Greeley, Colorado
plant, where over 30 languages are spoken, yet reportedly very few COVID-19 materials have
been translated into different languages. As Domingo Garcia, president of the League of
United Latin American Citizens stated in early April, "These are essential frontline workers.
They are just as important as doctors and nurses, but they are not being treated that way."

While CDC has long fulfilled its mission to provide science-based health information to
protect our nation from dangerous threats, it is unclear if the guidance and information
provided to date to food production facilities has been sufficient to address the increased risks
that these workers face.

Given these concerns, we request a briefing on the efforts CDC is taking to assist in
ongoing endeavors to keep workers in the food supply chain safe. We also request responses to
the following questions by May 26, 2020.

1. In light of the continued food production facility outbreaks and stakeholder concerns, is
CDC planning to provide updated COVID-19 guidance to food production employers and
workers? If not, please detail how CDC assesses the need, appropriateness,
implementation, and determination on whether and when to update guidance.
2. How is CDC coordinating with agencies with respective regulatory authority over food
production facility worker safety to assess guidance effectiveness and enforcement?
Please detail ongoing efforts with FDA, the Department of Homeland Security, DOL,
USDA, and other agencies as applicable.
3. How many CDC Epi-Aid teams have been requested and deployed related to
concentrated COVID-19 outbreaks within food production facilities? Please detail these
requests including the specific locations, findings, recommendations, and current status
of ongoing investigations.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. To schedule the briefing and for any
questions about this request, please contact Jesseca Boyer and Manmeet Dhindsa of the
Committee staff at (202) 225-2927.

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