Cargill packing plant in Schuyler shutting down due to COVID-19

https://plattevalley.newschannelnebraska.com/story/42088068/cargill-packing-plant-in-schuyler-shutting-down-due-to-covid19

• The Cargill packing plant is Schuyler, NE is temporarily closing as it’s workforce deals with the impacts of Covid-19.
• The company is shutting down in order to prioritize their employee’s health.
• “This was a difficult decision for our team as we operate an essential service, but our values are guiding our actions,” North America Lead Jon Nash said. “Our focus now is continuing to keep our employees safe and getting our facility back to normal operations as soon as we can.”
• The Schuyler plant lies in the East Central District Health Dept. where 331 confirmed cases were reported on Sunday evening. This district encompasses four counties.
• Tentatively, Cargill plans to resume operations the week of May 18th.
• This plant employs 2,200 people and processes 4,500 hd. of cattle per day.
• The Schuyler plant is the third NE packing plant to completely halt operations. It follows Tyson plants in Dakota City and Madison.

Beef output in US much lower than plant shutdown reduced capacity suggests

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/food-safety/495824-beef-output-much-lower-than-plant-shutdowns-show

• America’s beef output has decreased at a more significant rate than what plant closings due to the coronavirus pandemic originally suggested, signaling that the current beef shortage could continue after processing plants reopen.
• USDA reported that cattle slaughter dropped 37% this past week compared to what it was a year ago. This percentage is quite a bit higher than the 10%-15% that packing plants across the country have lost due to the pandemic.
• Hog slaughter numbers are showing the same thing; hog slaughter is down 35% from a year ago, while plant shutdowns since the pandemic have only caused a 25%-30% decrease in slaughter.

Scientists Create Antibody That Defeats Coronavirus in Lab

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-04/scientists-create-antibody-that-defeats-coronavirus-in-lab

• This experimental antibody has neutralized the virus in cell cultures.
• The antibody may help prevent and treat Covid-19 and related diseases in the future, either alone or in a drug combination, according to a study published Monday in the journal Nature Communications.
• More research will be needed to see whether the findings are confirmed in a clinical setting and how precisely the antibody defeats the virus.
• Experiments have shown that the antibody, 47D11, not only defeats coronavirus but also SARS.