The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Logan is the highest in the nation for a city its size. When rumors of a COVID-19 outbreak at the JBS meat-packaging facility in Hyrum started circling, the company responded by testing every employee. Of the 1,024 tests conducted between May 30 and June 2, nearly 300 came back positive.
One individual, who asked to remain unnamed, said other than the temperature checks and requirements for facial shields, not much changed at work.
“Our work hours have stayed the same," they said. "Honestly, sometimes we've worked longer on the kill. Everybody's still really close together. I mean, they really can't put dividers up between people because of how it's set up.”
Multiple people have said even after the testing was conducted, employees were asked to return to work before receiving test results — some were already feeling sick, but were asked to come in due to the high-demand to supply the nation with meat. By the time this individual found out they’d tested positive for the virus, they’d worked all four days and visited with older family members.
Now, employees who have tested positive are quarantined at home. But many were living paycheck-to-paycheck and are now concerned about providing for their families now that they’re no longer receiving an income.
“Una semana más,” said another individual in Cache Valley. One more week.
One more week until the food they’ve received through donations runs out, along with the last of their money. This person’s family had been struggling even before contracting the virus, despite working 13-15 hour days.
Like many immigrants, the person says they make less than other non-Hispanic, white employees, despite working more hours.
They said, “That’s just how it is here.”
“Even if we’re not comfortable going back to work, we have to," they said, "because the bills are accumulating and we need money to pay.”
The full list of donation drop-off sites organized by local Latinx advocate and Utah State University professor Crescencio López-Gónzalez is as follows:
Iglesia Católica de Santo Thomas de Aquino
Phone: 435-752-1478
573 E. 2050 North
Logan, UT 84341
Iglesia de Dios Peniel- Un Nuevo Comienzo
Marisol Montufar y Francisco Montufar
Phone: 435-760-6031
340 N. 800 East
Hyrum, UT 84319
Danny Beus
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Phone: 435-232-3923
386 Sheridan Ridge Lane
Nibley, UT 84321
Elizabeth Springborn
Phone: 435-374-8952
336 E. 700 South
Logan, UT 84321
Emmanuel Baptist Church
Phone: 435-245-5898
310 N. 800 East
Hyrum, UT 84319
Cache Refugee and Immigrant Connection
Jess Lucero
Phone: 307-221-3515
93 S. 1250 East
Logan, UT 84321
Stef Burns
(Relief Society-Hygiene Kits)