By Carol Vaughn —
COVID-19 cases in Accomack and Northampton counties continued to increase this week, even as the state plans to allow some businesses closed during the pandemic to reopen as soon as May 15.
“I continue to be concerned about the rising number of cases in our poultry processing facilities, especially on the Eastern Shore,” Gov. Ralph Northam said in a briefing Monday.
More than 260 COVID-19 cases on the Eastern Shore of Virginia are associated with two poultry processing plants in Accomack County, Tyson Foods and Perdue Farms, he said.
That number is likely to rise after results are reported from COVID-19 testing of employees being conducted this week at the two plants.
Additionally, the health department is offering free COVID-19 testing to the public at a drive-thru clinic at Eastern Shore Community College Friday, May 8, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, May 9, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or until testing supplies run out.
Trained teams from the Virginia National Guard will administer the tests and health department staff will provide information on how to best protect oneself and others from COVID-19 transmission. Participants will receive a call from the Eastern Shore Health District with results.
As of Wednesday, Accomack County reported 429 cases and seven deaths from COVID-19, and Northampton County had 140 cases and one death, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
There have been six outbreaks totaling 366 cases and 14 cases among healthcare workers on the Eastern Shore, according to the department.
A team from the Centers for Disease Control arrived on the Shore last week in response to outbreaks at the poultry facilities.
“This week, our local health district, the CDC, and poultry companies are working together to do testing of plant workers and members of the community,” Northam said.
A Tyson spokesman said Monday CDC representatives have visited some company facilities.
“Representatives from CDC along with local and state health officials have toured some of our facilities in recent weeks to see the measures we’re taking to protect our team members,” said Tyson spokesman Worth Sparkman.
Around 1,300 people work at the Tyson plant in Temperanceville.
The company is working with a third-party medical contractor to test all employees at the Temperanceville facility this week, Sparkman said.
An announcement on the Tyson Temperanceville Facebook page said mandatory testing of all employees was to take place Tuesday, May 5, and Wednesday, May 6.
The company did a deep cleaning of the facililty April 24-26, according to another announcement on the page.
Sparkman listed measures the company has taken to protect employees, including restricting visitor access, relaxing attendance policies, using infrared thermometers to check employee temperatures before they enter company facilities, supplying face coverings and requiring their use, improving social distancing practices, and educating employees on risk factors.
Perdue Farms was to conduct COVID-19 testing for employees at the Accomac facility Wednesday, May 6, and Thursday, May 7, according to a spokesperson.
There are 1,908 employees at the plant.
“The CDC visited our Accomac, Va., Salisbury, Md., and Georgetown, Del. facilities last week. Their official report is not ready yet, but when it is we will share it,” spokesperson Diana Souder said.
“Generally, they were impressed with their findings at our plants and commented that we had done more than expected to keep our associates safe,” she said.
Both plants have hired companies to test their employees, Virginia Health Department spokesperson Larry Hill said.
The CDC team after visiting the two plants concluded “it looks like both are doing everything they can to make it safe for the employees and preventing the spead of the virus,” Hill said.
The CDC is assisting the local health department with testing guidance, outreach, and case investigations, according to Hill.
Additionally, the Eastern Shore Health District is working with the Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission to look for funding to assist people who need to leave their home to self-isolate due to the virus, Hill said.
When Delaware offered financial assistance for people needing to self-isolate, only around 10% of those eligible took advantage of it, he said.
Northam announced Monday he is extending through May 14 executive orders 53 and 55, which ordered some nonessential businesses closed and banned gatherings of over 10 people during the pandemic.
The orders had been set to expire May 8.
Phase one of easing restrictions will continue social distancing, teleworking, recommendations that people wear face coverings in public, and the ban on social gatherings of more than 10 people. It will ease some limits on businesses and churches, and will transition the stay at home directive to a “safer at home” guideline, especially for vulnerable populations.
Businesses will be issued specific guidelines for reopening safely once the orders expire — including policies for enhanced cleaning and social distancing, and things like allowing time for workers to wash their hands frequently, Northam said.
In the first of three planned phases of recovery, “You will still be safer at home. Large gatherings are still a bad idea,” he said, adding teleworking, face coverings, and social distancing should still be practiced.
Restaurants can open, but using less of their seating capacity and following other guidelines.
Churches will be allowed to hold in-person meetings, following safety guidelines, under phase one, Northam said.
Phase one likely will last two to four weeks, followed by more easing of restrictions in the following two phases.
“Our decisions will be based on science and data,” Northam said.
