Poultry workers denied service over COVID-19 fears as businesses reopen: report

On Monday, the Huffington Post explored how poultry workers in North Carolina are being denied service even as businesses reopen from COVID-19 lockdowns.

"The hair salon SmartCuts reopened its doors in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, on Memorial Day weekend after a long closure due to the coronavirus. But not every customer was welcome to hop in a chair like old times," reported Dave Jamieson. "A sign posted on the shop window explained: 'Due to the number of Tyson employees who have tested positive for Covid19, and given the close contact experienced during our services, we are unable to serve Tyson employees. We sincerely apologize for this decision, and we ask for your understanding.'"

"The local Tyson poultry processing plant is one of the largest employers in the area. Like other poultry, beef and pork facilities around the country, it has become a hotbed for the coronavirus ― with 570 workers recently testing positive out of around 2,200," said the report.

"When a friend of hers sent Amy McGinty a photo of the SmartCuts sign, she was outraged. The 13-year Tyson employee said people look at her and her colleagues 'like a disease,'" continued the report. "'They’re getting our food, but they won’t service us,' McGinty told HuffPost."

"McGinty said workers like her have received 'nothing but shame' for their efforts on the front lines of the pandemic," said the report. "Because she works at the plant, McGinty said, it has been hard to find anyone to watch her 2-year-old ― other than her mother, who has a heart condition. When she recently took her daughter to the doctor, the first question the doctor asked was whether the child had been exposed to any Tyson employees."

You can read more here.