Tyson's Wilkes Plant Shuts Down Again Because of COVID-19

The Tyson chicken-processing complex in Wilkesboro shut down last Saturday and Monday of his week to do deep cleaning to eliminate the coronavirus from the premises. After reopening on Tuesday, the plant was shutting down again yesterday (Thursday) for additional cleaning. Richard Craver reports that Wilkes County health officials confirmed the majority of the county's 274 COVID-19 cases are linked to the Tyson plant. The complex has a combined workforce of about 2,200.

Tyson said in a statement that the second temporary shutdown was prompted by “a combination of positive COVID-19 cases and team member absences related to quarantine and other factors.” Craver: "At least 70 cases of COVID-19 are Forsyth County residents who either work at the Tyson plant or have come into close contact with someone who works there, according to the Forsyth Department of Public Health."

Meanwhile, a second outbreak has occurred at a Surry County chicken-processing plant, at Wayne Farms, which employs over 500 workers. Surry County health officials would only confirm "a small number" of COVID cases at Wayne Farms, but with this virus, a small number has a way of becoming an explosion.