{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,30]],"date-time":"2025-07-30T16:29:49Z","timestamp":1753892989616,"version":"3.41.2"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,2]],"date-time":"2024-09-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1725235200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title><jats:p>Several COVID-19 outbreaks have been reported in meat processing plants in different countries. The aim of this study was to assess the environmental and socio-economic risk factors favouring the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in meat processing plants and to describe the prevention measures implemented.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Data from epidemiological investigations of COVID-19 clusters in France, the scientific literature, structured interviews and site visits were collected and summarised to investigate the main risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection in meat processing plants, including determinants within and outside the workplace.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>An increased risk of infection was identified among workers with unfavourable socio-economic status (temporary\/non-permanent workers, migrants, ethnic minorities, etc.), possibly related to community activities (house-sharing, car-sharing, social activities). Working conditions (proximity between workers) and environmental factors (low temperatures and inadequate ventilation) also appear to be important risk factors. These environmental conditions are particularly prevalent in cutting and boning plants, where the majority of reported cases are concentrated. Preventive measures applied included screening for COVID-19 symptoms, testing, wearing masks, increased hygiene and sanitation, physical and temporal distancing, control of ventilation. Certain food safety hygiene measures were compatible with protecting workers from SARS-CoV-2. The hygiene culture of agri-food workers made it easier to implement preventive measures after adaptation.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study made it possible to identify the environmental and socio-economic factors conducive to the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in meat processing plants. The knowledge gained from this work was used in simulations to understand the transmission of the virus in the plants.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2024.1432332","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,2]],"date-time":"2024-09-02T04:28:11Z","timestamp":1725251291000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Mitigating COVID-19 in meat processing plants: what have we learned from cluster investigations?"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Pauline","family":"Kooh","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Yvonnick","family":"Guillois","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Michel","family":"Federighi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mathilde","family":"Pivette","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Anne-Laure","family":"Maillard","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ngoc-Du Martin","family":"Luong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Estelle","family":"Chaix","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17504","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-022-22317-7","article-title":"Epidemiology of acute gastroenteritis in France from November 2019-august 2021, in light of reported adherence to COVID-19 barrier measures","volume":"12","author":"Nisavanh","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sci Rep"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"557","DOI":"10.15585\/mmwr.mm6918e3","article-title":"COVID-19 among workers in meat and poultry processing facilities \u2014 19 states, April 2020","volume":"69","author":"Dyal","year":"2020","journal-title":"MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"12104","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph191912104","article-title":"Transmission and control of SARS-CoV-2 in the food production sector: a rapid narrative review of the literature","volume":"19","author":"Hosseini","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1015","DOI":"10.15585\/mmwr.mm6931a2","article-title":"COVID-19 outbreak among employees at a meat processing facility\u2014South Dakota, march\u2013April 2020","volume":"69","author":"Steinberg","year":"2020","journal-title":"MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep"},{"year":"2018","key":"ref5"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"887","DOI":"10.15585\/mmwr.mm6927e2","article-title":"Update: COVID-19 among Workers in Meat and Poultry Processing Facilities - 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