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Important Update from the CDC about COVID-19 and Essential Workers in the United States

On November 16, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its recommendations regarding work protocols in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Above all, they highlight that workers in essential industries should quarantine after a potential exposure to the virus, even if they have no symptoms and have not tested positive for COVID-19. Earlier, despite the risk of virus transmission, the CDC recommended that workers exposed to the virus keep working without quarantining so long as they did not have symptoms. That suggestion was enormously risky for essential industries, like the protein processing industry, because many people infected with COVID-19 can transmit the lethal virus even without experiencing any symptoms.

The new recommendation published by the CDC on November 16 reverses its previous position. The CDC now recommends that workers who were potentially exposed to the virus only attend work in very specific circumstances, even if they are part of an essential industry. The CDC encourages quarantine for any worker exposed to the virus, except in limited circumstances and as a last resort: for example, when stopping work could cause serious harm to public health or safety.

The CDC’s position comes after months marked by an alarming rate of transmission and infection among essential workers, such as workers in the meat, chicken, and seafood processing industries. The virus has disproportionately impacted these workers due to a lack of protection. In fact, researchers estimate that up to 8% of COVID-19 cases in the United States have been tied to meatpacking companies.

This update to the CDC’s position is a crucial step forward in the fight to protect vulnerable communities in the United States, especially migrants and immigrants.

It is important to keep in mind that this update is not a law and does not necessarily guarantee protected rights to essential workers. However, if you are a worker in an essential industry in the United States, it is important for you to know that this is an official recommendation at the national level.

If you are a worker, you can reference the CDC’s opinion as guidance and support if you feel uncomfortable with your current work situation and you want to discuss it with your employer. And you can reach out to Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc. (CDM) if you need help to evaluate any doubt or complaint you have on the matter.

You can call us at 800-590-1773 from Mexico and 1-855-234-9699 from the United States. For help in Mixteco, you can call 953-554-0517. All assessment is completely free and confidential.


You can read the CDC’s official updated guidance here in English.