Tyson, McDonald's Make Moves To Bolster Food Safety Protocols

Tyson Foods, Inc. TSN and McDonald's Corp MCD separately announced steps they're taking to ensure food safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

What Happened At Tyson: Tyson announced the creation of a new chief medical officer to oversee the meatpacking company's efforts to keep its workers safe.

The new executive will oversee 200 nurses and support personnel on top of the 400 existing members of the company's health services team. The new nurses will be responsible for testing workers for COVID-19, assist with case management, and coordinate treatment options.

Tyson plans on testing workers at its facilities on a weekly basis. Doing so better positions the company to protect its workers and communities.

What Happened At McDonald's: The fast-food giant announced it will receive advice from the Mayo Clinic on how to mitigate the spread of the virus and how the restaurant chain can improve its health and safety precautions.

The announcement was made during McDonald's virtual Worldwide Connection event for franchisees, according to CNBC. The news follows reports that some McDonald's stores did not enforce mask policies while health and safety training fell short of expectations.

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Why It's Important: Consulting with experts within the medical community is a move that will be appreciated by both workers and clients. One of the main difficulties associated with combating the virus is someone can be infected and contagious without them knowing it as they show no symptoms.

"We believe launching a new, strategic approach to monitoring and adding the health staff to support it will help further our efforts to go on the offensive against the virus," Donnie King, Tyson Foods group president and chief administrative officer said in the press release. "Adding more resources and technologies reinforces our commitment to protecting our team members, their families and plant communities."