Current and former George's employees test positive for COVID-19
George's chicken plant in Butterfield
June 10, 2020
Sheila Harris
According to an unnamed source, a second-shift, further-processing employee at George’s Processing in Butterfield
tested positive for COVID-19, a fact confirmed by Barry County Health Department Administrator, Roger Brock.
“We were notified Tuesday morning,” he said.
Barry County Office of Emergency Management Director, David Compton, said this diagnosis is in addition to another case confirmed in a recent employee of the company. According to Compton, neither employee resides within Barry County. He was unable to disclose their county (or counties) of residence, nor did he have knowledge of whether the two had contact
outside of their employment at George’s.
“Area health departments have sort of a networking chain of command,” Compton said. “If a resident from another county is diagnosed with COVID-19, who has lived or worked within Barry County, we don’t list that case in Barry County’s statistics, nor do we necessarily have an obligation to report it. The case diagnosed in an out-of-county resident will be handled by the health department of the county of the person’s residence. They will have the responsibility for tracing the person’s contacts. If one of those contacts resides within Barry County, the other health department will notify us and we will follow up with the contact living within Barry County.”
“In the case of an employee from out of the county who worked within a large manufacturing facility in
Barry County, we (the Barry County Health Department and my office) do feel an obligation to report that
we have a positive diagnosis from George’s,” Compton continued.
Compton indicated that a press release would be issued later Wednesday morning.
The original source of disclosure of the case who tested positive at George’s reported that all employees of the facility
were issued a form to sign which acknowledged they were aware of the positive test within their place of employment.
David Compton said the Barry County Health Department and Office of Emergency Management are monitoring developments with George’s on a daily basis.
“We are working closely with George’s corporate officials and plant management,” he indicated. “With the mitigation measures George’s put in place 60 days ago, we have every reason to believe there will be no spread of the virus
within the processing plant,” Compton added. “Many of the positions within the plant
do not require employees to stand close together, but in areas where there is closer proximity between employees,
George’s has erected both horizontal and vertical shields between work stations. Employees are required to wear protective masks within the plant at all times, and break times are staggered so there is space for employees to spread out
in the break room.”
Employees are also screened for a fever before entering the plant to begin their shifts, according to Compton.
Daniel Workman, a representative of Edelman, the public relations firm for George’s, said that George’s does not wish to make a statement at this time. They do, however, want to direct people to a webpage which details the steps they are taking to ensure the safety of their employees. The information can be found at: www.georgesinc.com/howwereresponding-to-covid-19/.
The promised press release from the Barry County Health Department, just received, indicates that the two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in current and recent George’s employees are believed to be the result of community spread in a
neighboring county. The individuals are in isolation and close contacts are being notified.
Sheila Harris
According to an unnamed source, a second-shift, further-processing employee at George’s Processing in Butterfield
tested positive for COVID-19, a fact confirmed by Barry County Health Department Administrator, Roger Brock.
“We were notified Tuesday morning,” he said.
Barry County Office of Emergency Management Director, David Compton, said this diagnosis is in addition to another case confirmed in a recent employee of the company. According to Compton, neither employee resides within Barry County. He was unable to disclose their county (or counties) of residence, nor did he have knowledge of whether the two had contact
outside of their employment at George’s.
“Area health departments have sort of a networking chain of command,” Compton said. “If a resident from another county is diagnosed with COVID-19, who has lived or worked within Barry County, we don’t list that case in Barry County’s statistics, nor do we necessarily have an obligation to report it. The case diagnosed in an out-of-county resident will be handled by the health department of the county of the person’s residence. They will have the responsibility for tracing the person’s contacts. If one of those contacts resides within Barry County, the other health department will notify us and we will follow up with the contact living within Barry County.”
“In the case of an employee from out of the county who worked within a large manufacturing facility in
Barry County, we (the Barry County Health Department and my office) do feel an obligation to report that
we have a positive diagnosis from George’s,” Compton continued.
Compton indicated that a press release would be issued later Wednesday morning.
The original source of disclosure of the case who tested positive at George’s reported that all employees of the facility
were issued a form to sign which acknowledged they were aware of the positive test within their place of employment.
David Compton said the Barry County Health Department and Office of Emergency Management are monitoring developments with George’s on a daily basis.
“We are working closely with George’s corporate officials and plant management,” he indicated. “With the mitigation measures George’s put in place 60 days ago, we have every reason to believe there will be no spread of the virus
within the processing plant,” Compton added. “Many of the positions within the plant
do not require employees to stand close together, but in areas where there is closer proximity between employees,
George’s has erected both horizontal and vertical shields between work stations. Employees are required to wear protective masks within the plant at all times, and break times are staggered so there is space for employees to spread out
in the break room.”
Employees are also screened for a fever before entering the plant to begin their shifts, according to Compton.
Daniel Workman, a representative of Edelman, the public relations firm for George’s, said that George’s does not wish to make a statement at this time. They do, however, want to direct people to a webpage which details the steps they are taking to ensure the safety of their employees. The information can be found at: www.georgesinc.com/howwereresponding-to-covid-19/.
The promised press release from the Barry County Health Department, just received, indicates that the two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in current and recent George’s employees are believed to be the result of community spread in a
neighboring county. The individuals are in isolation and close contacts are being notified.
