Eastern Washington beef plant shut down to test employees for COVID-19

WALLULA, Wash. (AP) — A Tyson beef plant in eastern Washington is temporarily shutting down to test all its workers for COVID-19.

Family and friends of employees joined together to urge the plant to shut down as the number of COVID-19 infected workers climbed to more than 100 this week.

Tyson says health officials in surrounding counties will work with the company to test the Wallula plant’s more than 1,400 employees as soon as possible.

The company says workers will be paid during the closure.