Brazil judge orders JBS to test workers for COVID-19 under 10-day deadline: ruling

By Ana Mano

SAO PAULO (Reuters) – A Brazil labor judge on Wednesday gave meat producer JBS SA 10 days to medically screen workers at its Garibaldi chicken plant and also pay for COVID-19 testing for every worker, according to a copy of the ruling seen by Reuters.

More than 900 people work at the plant in Rio Grande do Sul state, of which 230 have already tested positive for the novel coronavirus, prosecutors who sought the order said, citing data from local health services.

JBS was unavailable for immediate comment.

The company has dealt with COVID-19 outbreaks at plants in Brazil and in the United States. Sometimes the outbreaks led to temporary plant closures.

At Garibaldi, seven workers have been hospitalized and one died, the prosecutors told the court.

In Wednesday’s ruling, Brazilian labor Judge Graciela Maffei also ordered JBS to ensure that its Garibaldi workers remain at least 2 meters (6 feet) apart at the facility’s entrances and exits, during shift changes, in changing rooms and other areas of the factory such as the restaurant.

Maffei also ruled that JBS should supply and supervise use of PFF2 respirators by all employees there, including on the buses that ferry them to work.

Each worker should receive a new respirator every day, according to a copy of the ruling.

(Reporting by Ana Mano; Editing by Chris Reese and Sonya Hepinstall)