Fieldale keeps adjusting to COVID-19
PHOTO: Separation stands have been placed between workers at the Fieldale Cornelia processing plant. Credit: Courtesy of Fieldale Farms Corp.
This story was initially published in the April 24, 2020 editions of The Northeast Georgian.
BY ERIC PEREIRA
Tom Hensley, President of Fieldale Farms Corp. said Thursday morning there are 40 employees positive with COVID-19 in their Cornelia Processing Plant with 1,600 employees.
District 2 Public Health spokesman Dave Palmer said this number can create issues because cases are recorded by county of residence.
“That does create some issues for our website from time to time. Because we may have incomplete data on the case and it has to be verified,” Palmer said.
Considering the size of Fieldale, Palmer said their most recent numbers of cases may be in line with the general population. “I’m not downplaying the importance of recording cases but I’m trying to put this in perspective along with the population,” he said.
Hensley said they have had two people who had to be hospitalized with one having recovered and one still there.
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Hensley said that N95 masks started to be distributed three weeks ago. Hensley said dividers were installed two weeks ago.
“We had a problem getting thermometers,” Hensley said regarding the no touch thermometers. “It took a month to get thermometers. But we finally did. They were the hardest thing to come by.”
Hensley said they do not have any trouble communicating safety procedures to their Hispanic population as they have interpreters. However, it appears that it can be a challenge with knowing if they, along with other employees, are abiding by federal and state health guidelines at home.
“That’s a challenge because some families live together and everyone goes a different way in the morning and they come back in the evening and they’ve been to lots of different places,” Hensley said. “And that’s a challenge for us for sure.”
Palmer also said that often times they are finding the spread of the disease to be out in the community and they are trying to mitigate that.
PUBLIC COMPLAINTS
District 2 Public Information Officer Dave Palmer confirmed they are receiving calls from the public that say Fieldale is not be abiding by all of the health and PPE precautions.
Ndubuisi Anvalechi, Infectious Disease Coordinator for District 2 Public Health said these matters are addressed by a coalition consisting of Fieldale, DPH, Georgia Department of Agriculture and other poultry companies in the area.
He said the coalition is strategic with the goal to inform the poultry plants and to address the spread of the virus at home and in the community. “What we aim to do is ensure that information we are getting from the community concerns and all that are being addressed without causing any destruction in the operation of the poultry farm and also making sure that we reach out to the community with the best intervention possible,” Anvalechi said.
Mike Giles, President of the Georgia Poultry Federation said their goal is to also share best practices with Fieldale and other facilities across the state but they are not an authority when it comes to handling these matters.
“We can’t enforce anything … really how the whole thing has evolved is the practices that companies have implemented have been consistent with CDC guidelines, many beyond,” Giles said. “Fieldale is a great example of being a leader in that area.”
ABSENTEEISM
Hensley said their absenteeism varies from day to day. Tuesday he said they had 60 people absent and Wednesday they had 34 out. People who worked in close proximity to employees with positive COVID-19 are also sent home with pay to self-quarantine.
Along with the 1,600 Cornelia Plant employees. Fieldale also has another 600 employees who work in administrative support, the feed mill and hatcheries according to John Wright, Vice President of Operations at Fieldale.
MORE TESTING
Palmer said DPH has expanded testing and anticipates they will see more cases in their district.
“We are testing more people now. That has been facilitated by the Governor’s request of course to do that but also we are getting more supplies in to do the testing daily and so we are testing more people.”
Giles said as the COVID-19 spread began to grow, companies started taking measures “started taking steps, implementing measures that were consistent and appropriate with what was happening at the time.”
“We produce about 31 million pounds of poultry products every day and 7 million table eggs [in Georgia], so for the most part, level of production is steady and reliable. All poultry facilities in the state continue to operate,” Giles said.
