temperature for transmission - meat plants

[marcus242628]

Am I right in thinking that reports seem to state that covid spreads most in meat plants worldwide out of work places (other than hopsitals/care homes)? If so is this linked to air temperatures? Should it impact ice rinks reopening?

We’ve had it affect a few meat plants in Canada and I was of the impression it was the close working conditions. Shoulder to shoulder, working in a line.

Yeah I’ve come across that idea before. This is how a professor of Biology, Erin , explains it (describes meat packing as a superspreader event):

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Meat packing: In meat processing plants, densely packed workers must communicate to one another amidst the deafening drum of industrial machinery and a cold-room virus-preserving environment.

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But he also identifies call centres and offices in general as being risky

www.erinbromage.com/post/the-risks-know-them-avoid-them

I’ve just read online that some chicken prepping place in the uk has had an outbreak with 25% of employees needing to isolate. They supply the likes of kfc.

It doesn’t affect the meat. Ice hockey is opening up in BC, dr Bonnie Henry has been a superstar with managing the pandemic. If she says it’s okay, it’s okay.

I wasnt worried about the meat - more is the low temperature the cause of the outbreaks or just the closeness of the staff? Is it higher risk than workers at same distance in normal temperature? I understood that the virus remains in the air longer in colder temperatures.

in canada we were told the closeness of staff. no comment about refrigerated colder temps.

The staff work close together for long periods & can't afford to take time off. The place never shuts down. In the USA they can't be sure of getting unemployment benefits so they keep mouths shut even if they don't feel well.

Similar conditions & incentives in prisons.

The virus can last much longer at lower temperatures, which increases the risk of spread if absolutely everything isn't cleaned. At freezing temperatures you might expect the virus to last up to 2 years, same as SARS/ MERS, instead of max 72 hours in a nice humid office-type environment. Noisy environments requiring shouting are the biggest consistent spread factor from "super spreader" events. Close working conditions make the virus spread more in general too.
You need someone to be infected for spread however, and community transmission is currently very low in the UK. Ice rinks might be late to reopen though, sorry.

Surely there are other industries where staff work closely and cant afford to take time off. Seems a coincidence to me that this is presumably at a lower temperature. What I have seen reported is that the virus remains in situ when temperature is lower. There must be some research on how temperature affects transmission??

Not much, but some, see here: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7165096/

Agricultural workers & packing places are also transmission hotspots.

Would other packing places also be at cooler temperatures ie for fruit and vegetables. Presumably agricultural workers such as pickers may be living in dormitory accommodation so would have a different but valid reason for increased transmission.