This plant was in Canada, in a town called Brooks. I'll just update you on how COVID hit this plant.

In the first lockdown (spring 2020), the plant kept running. Being food production, it was deemed essential. Like many other workplaces, there was a lot of wishful thinking that COVID would not impact this plant. So operations were normal.

But COVID did find its way to Brooks, and the plant played a big part in the local spread. Its workers were generally living in higher density family situations, so the COVID easily spread to family members to plant workers to family members. At one point, Brooks had the highest per capita rate in Canada. The plant was shut down.

During this time, management put in plexiglass shields between many worker stations. It closed its cafeteria and set up a big tent for workers to take their breaks, properly social distanced.

There was a lot of political pressure to re-open the plant. Cattle supply chains were backed up.

When the plant did re-open, company nurses were taking temperatures and sending home workers who had a fever. The plant has not become a serious vector for COVID transmission to this day.

As of today, 17 people in Brooks died of COVID. Probably a few workers from the plant. But most deaths were compromised health situations from outside the plant.

Interventions do work. I wonder if we will learn the lessons for next time .