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Tyson Wilkes Plant Ramping Back Up After Temporary Closure

Wilkesboro, North Carolina. KERI BROWN/WFDD

As hundreds of workers tested positive for COVID-19 at the Tyson plant in Wilkes County, the company says it plans to ramp up operations again this week. 

More than 2,200 workers were recently tested for the coronavirus at Tyson's Wilkesboro plant. 570 employees tested positive. Ken Noland is the town manager of Wilkesboro. He says local officials are keeping a close eye on the situation.

“We've got to protect our community as a whole,” says Noland. “We are specifically trying to work with Tyson to protect their team members, and it is frustrating. It's frustrating for us, it's frustrating for Tyson.”

Tyson says a majority of the positive cases didn't show any symptoms.

The company says several new safety measures have been put in place at the Wilkesboro site. 

That includes barriers for social distancing in work stations and break rooms, and symptom screenings before each shift. Tyson is also providing paid sick leave to workers who test positive for the virus.

“We are working closely with local health departments to protect our team members and their families, and to help manage the spread of the virus in our communities,” said Tom Brower, senior vice president of health and safety for Tyson Foods in a press release. “We are using the most up-to-date data and resources to support our team members, and we are committed to ensuring they feel safe and secure when they come to work.”

The company says production has begun to ramp up at the facility. The company has paused operations twice in recent days for more deep cleaning and worker absences.

For the most up-to-date information on coronavirus in North Carolina, visit our Live Updates blog here. WFDD wants to hear your stories — connect with us and let us know what you're experiencing.

*Follow WFDD's Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news

Keri Brown is a multi-award winning reporter and host at 88.5 WFDD. She has been honored with two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her stories about coal ash, and was named the 2015 radio reporter of the year by the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas (RTDNAC).Although she covers a variety of topics, her beats are environmental and education reporting.Keri comes to the Triad from West Virginia Public Broadcasting, where she served as the Chief Bureau Reporter for the Northern Panhandle. She produced stories for the state's Public Television and Radio programs and was honored by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her feature and enterprise reporting.She also served as an adjunct instructor at Wheeling Jesuit University and Bethany College in West Virginia. She worked with the Center for Educational Technologies in Wheeling, WV, and other NASA centers across the country to develop several stories about the use of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts in the classroom.Keri's journalism career began at WTRF-TV 7 in Wheeling. She worked in several roles at the station, including the head assignment editor. She also was a field producer and assignment manager at WPGH-TV Fox 53 in Pittsburgh.Keri is a graduate of Ohio University. When she's not in the studio or working on a story, she enjoys watching college football with her family, cooking, and traveling.Keri is always looking for another great story idea, so please share them with her. You can follow her on Twitter @kerib_news.

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