A German hygiene expert says that the cooling and ventilation in slaughterhouses have played a major role in the spread of the coronavirus among staff. Professor Martin Exner from the University of Bonn was on site earlier this week at several meat factories of Tönnies to investigate possible causes.
His preliminary conclusion is that the air circulation in the deboning plant is a problem. There, the air is continuously kept at a temperature of six to ten degrees Celsius, extracted from the factory hall, cooled again, and blown back in. According to the professor, this causes the aerosols to remain in constant motion, while they are not filtered (as they are in aircraft air refreshers). To prevent viruses from continuing to spread through this system, Exner has proposed powerful filters and UV rays as a solution. These powerful filters are already used in operating rooms in hospitals, according to Exner.
The ventilation problem affects the entire meat industry and has not been previously considered by science, said the professor. So far, the industry has primarily focused on protecting the meat and food, but not so much on the infection risk for employees. The absence of filters may also play a role in chicken and mink stables. The hygiene professor emphasized that the overcrowded and cramped housing of large numbers of employees in small accommodations may also contribute.
The expert explicitly exempted factory owner Tönnies from criticism regarding the problem that may have been discovered now. Exner referred to earlier findings from the first major coronavirus infection site in Germany, in the Heinsberg district. There, numerous people became infected during a carnival party in an enclosed space. There too, the air was cooled by a recirculation system without filtration. 'This is a previously unknown decisive risk factor,' he emphasized.
Due to the large Covid-19 outbreak at the meat factory in Rheda-Wiedenbrück in North Rhine-Westphalia, German authorities have imposed a partial lockdown on the Gütersloh district until mid-next week. The approximately 370,000 residents of Gütersloh are only allowed to go outside with one other person, and museums and other public buildings are being closed again. The hospitality industry may remain open, but people are only allowed to visit with family members. The measures also apply to part of the neighboring Warendorf district.
The number of infections at the Tönnies meat factory had risen to 1,553. Over 6,000 people work at the factory. Some family members of employees are also infected, but their number is not yet known. Several weeks ago, all staff at the factory were tested, said state premier Armin Laschet. At that time, no infections were found.