The North American Meat Institute is reporting that meat and poultry worker coronavirus cases were five time lower In December than they were in May. That analysis is based on independent data collected by the Food and Environment Reporting Network (FERN). 

According to FERNs tracking data, those in the meat and poultry sector reported having an average of 19.91 new reported cases per 100,000 workers per day in December. By comparison, the same sector had an average of 98.39 new reported cases per 100,000 workers per day in May.

In comparison to the general population of the United States, the New York Times COVID-19 Tracking map, showed during those same periods the average new case rate for the U.S. population rose from 7.11 cases per 100,000 people per day in May to 63.01 cases per 100,000 people per day in December.

The Meat Institute and the United Food & Commercial Workers have jointly urged state governors to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance that frontline meat and poultry workers should be amongst the first to receive COVID-19 vaccinations after healthcare workers and people in long-term care.