Guidance for Essential Workers Who May Have Been Exposed to COVID-19
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new interim guidance for essential workers (including agricultural workers) who may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. Link to the detailed guidance here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/critical-workers/implementing-safety-practices.html. Critical Infrastructure workers who have had an exposure but remain asymptomatic should adhere to the following practices prior to and during their work shift:
- Pre-Screen: Employers should measure the employee’s temperature and assess symptoms prior to them starting work. Ideally, temperature checks should happen before the individual enters the facility.
- Regular Monitoring: As long as the employee doesn’t have a temperature or symptoms, they should self-monitor under the supervision of their employer’s occupational health program.
- Wear a Mask: The employee should wear a face mask at all times while in the workplace for 14 days after last exposure. Employers can issue facemasks or can approve employees’ supplied cloth face coverings in the event of shortages.
- Social Distance: The employee should maintain 6 feet and practice social distancing as work duties permit in the workplace.
- Disinfect and Clean work spaces: Clean and disinfect all areas such as offices, bathrooms, common areas, shared electronic equipment routinely.
Thanks to Dr. Rob Lynch from PRO-DAIRY for identifying this resource.
COVID-19 and Your Produce Farm webinar recording
Steps that produce farm managers and individuals working with fruit and vegetable farms should consider to protect their workforce, their business, and their markets
Recorded April 3, 2020
COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and Your Produce Farm webinar recording
Link to COVID-19 and Your Produce Farm pdf of webinar presentation the PDF file contains active links that users can click to access the resources online.
Richard Stup, PhD, Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development, Elizabeth Bihn, PhD, Director of Produce Safety Alliance at Cornell, and Anu Rangarajan, PhD, Director of the Cornell Small Farms Program
Topics include: why prevention of the coronavirus/COVID-19 is important, steps that employers should take to protect employees, how to manage cleaning and disinfection in the workplace and employee housing, state and federal sick leave and workforce reduction policies, and disaster contingency planning to manage and prevent the spread of COVID-19 on-farm.
DAIRYVOICE PODCAST with Joel Hastings: Dr. Richard Stup of Cornell University discusses dairy farmers managing coronavirus
