COVID has been tough, and the last thing any of us need is a new disease. Unfortunately, Monkeypox is circulating in the population. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has posted guidance about Monkeypox to their website. CDC indicates the disease is spread through close contact, including: direct contact with a rash, respiratory secretions, and through contact with shared fabrics like clothing, bedding, or towels. For these reasons, CDC gives particular guidance for congregate housing settings, which would include farm worker housing in many cases. Employers who operate farm worker housing should review CDC guidance on issues such as: communications with employees, responding to cases, identification of cases, handwashing, cleaning and disinfection, and personal protective equipment. This is particularly important as new workers arrive for fall harvest and housing population densities increase.
Please take steps now, such as communication and increased sanitation measures, to prevent the spread of Monkeypox among the farm workforce.
