by April Scheinoha
Reporter

It’s been four months since Northern Pride began the turkey processing season, and it’s been four months of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Like other companies in the area, Northern Pride has taken a myriad of precautions to prevent COVID-19 from entering its facility on the south side of Thief River Falls.

Carmen Holmes, safety manager, said Northern Pride is prepared to continue these precautions as long as it needs to do so.

Northern Pride employs about 185 people in its processing plant. The employees work in two shifts. However, employees are on-site 24/7.

The turkey processing season began Tuesday, April 21 and continues until shortly before Thanksgiving. Northern Pride has had no cases of COVID-19. However, the business has sent employees for COVID-19 testing after they failed the screenings at Northern Pride. Early in the pandemic, some employees suffered from cold and allergy symptoms. The company followed guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The employees returned to work after their tests came back negative.

Each day, employees are screened in a trailer on-site. Prior to entering the trailer, employees sanitize their hands. While waiting their turn, the employees socially distance. All employees verbally answer a set of screening questions prior to entering the plant. Bilingual employee Nataly Vazquez, who holds a medical certificate, asks employees the screening questions and checks their temperatures. Anytime a new employee starts working at Northern Pride, the employee answers his or her questions on a sheet of paper that the plant keeps for its records.

Northern Pride also requires any employees hired throughout the season to quarantine. The length of that quarantine is dependent on whether the employee’s travel was domestic or international.

Northern Pride encourages employees to stay home if they aren’t feeling well and notify their employer, Holmes said. She noted Northern Pride is excusing absences for employees who may be suffering from COVID-19 symptoms. Northern Pride is also providing influenza vaccinations to employees this year.

Employees wear their facial coverings at all times with the exception of eating and drinking. They also wear disposable gloves while working and utilize other sanitation procedures necessary for a food service business. Employees also constantly wash their hands, and hand-sanitizing stations are easily accessible. Vinyl clear curtains separate employees who are unable to socially distance while working at the plant.

Breaks are staggered to limit the amount of people congregating with one another. A special sanitizer is used to sanitize the commons areas after breaks and lunches, and at the end of each shift.

Northern Pride has taken other precautions, such as limiting access to the plant. In order to minimize large gatherings, employees receive handouts in place of some trainings. The company has also created a private Facebook page for employees. Holmes said that page is constantly updated with the number of COVID-19 cases in the county. The Facebook page also reminds the employees to engage in proper hygiene measures.

If Northern Pride were to have an outbreak, Holmes said it is prepared to do contact tracing and follow MDH and CDC guidance.

Northern Pride has worked with Inter-County Nursing Service and Sanford Health on its protocols to prevent COVID-19. Inter-County Nursing continues to have constant contact with Northern Pride, Holmes said.

Sanford Health initially staffed the on-site trailer, but those nurses have since returned to their work at Sanford. MDH helped Northern Pride obtain priority COVID-19 testing at the beginning of the pandemic as an essential employer.