Phoenix NPR affiliate, KJZZ, interviews Prof. Scheitrum on Role of Meatpacking Plants on Spread of COVID-19

CDC-COVID19.jpg

In a recent Food Policy paper, Professor Dan Scheitrum and coauthors estimate that the presence of large beef and pork meatpacking plants more than doubled COVID-19 infections rates. Counties with chicken-processing facilities saw 20 percent higher infection rates. This increase in disease transmission led to an estimated 334,000 additional cases and 18,000 additional deaths. The economic consequence amounts to $11.2 billion in lost wages, which is and lower bound of the true economic impact of the increased disease spread. For further discussion, see “Meatpacking Plants Cause $11.2 Billion In Negative Economic Impact From COVID-19 Disease Spread,” by Heather van Blokland at KJZZ.