DAKOTA CITY, Neb. (AP) - Tyson Foods plans to reopen its Dakota City, Nebraska, beef plant Thursday nearly a week after closing the facility following a surge of coronavirus cases among workers.
Tyson closed the plant Friday and initially planned to reopen in four days but pushed that back to await coronavirus test results, officials said. The plant employs 4,300 people and is among the largest employers for neighboring Sioux City, Iowa.
While the plant was closed, workers completed a deep cleaning of the operation, Tyson spokeswoman Liz Croston said in a statement. The company also has adopted new measures for workers, including installing more than 150 infrared walk-through temperature scanners, mandatory face coverings, work station dividers and more space in breakrooms.
The Dakota City plant is one of numerous meat processing facilities that have closed due to coronavirus outbreaks. A Tyson pork plant in Waterloo, Iowa, and a Smithfield pork plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, were both scheduled to reopen Thursday.