PERRY, Iowa - Tyson Foods is shutting its plant in Perry for a deep cleaning Monday. The company says the one day shutdown is a precautionary measure in addition to other steps it's taken, including the use of infrared scanners, facial coverings and partitions between work spaces. The company says it's taking the temperature of every employee at its plants
Tyson confirmed there were positive cases of COVID-19/coronavirus among its workforce in Perry, but has not disclosed how many. The political director of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) of Iowa has said "people om the inside indicate 11 cases."
Tyson closed its plant in Columbus Junction in southeast Iowa earlier this month after 148 COVID-19 cases were reported there along with two deaths.
The company has been criticized for not closing its plant in Waterloo, where 19 elected leaders in Black Hawk County have called for it to do so in a formal letter. There have been 138 positive cases at the Waterloo location.