File photo
File photo
Hormel's Rochelle Foods plant will be testing all of the plant's workers as part of a mandatory COVID-19 testing plan implemented by the Ogle County Heath Department.
Kyle Auman, Ogle County Health Department administrator, told Kendall County Now that Rochelle Hospital, KSB Hospital and health department employees will be conducting the testing. Any worker who refuses to be tested will not be allowed to return for work, according to Kendall County Now.
An outbreak of the coronavirus spread quickly throughout the plant, Auman told Kendall County Now. As of May 20, Illinois reported 98,030 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including 4,379 deaths. Ogle County has 173 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
"We needed to take drastic action or we were going to miss our opportunity" to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the plant, Auman said.
The testing is free to employees.
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