May 6th, 2020 11:29am -Syracuse.com Article

Workers in CNY coronavirus hot spot: Different countries, different languages add to tracing challenges
By: Nolan Weidner

Wampsville, N.Y. — Some 12 interpreters were among those needed at Green Empire Farms to help with coronavirus testing and tracing the recent movements of workers at the huge greenhouse operation in Madison County.

“We have interpreters for Spanish, and we have interpreters for French, because we have Haitian workers as well,” said Madison County health director Eric Faisst. "There are other construction workers there are from the Netherlands, all over the place.”

Some 139 mostly seasonal workers at the greenhouse have tested positive for coronavirus as of Tuesday. County and company officials declined to say how many workers were from other countries or which countries they came from.

So far, 75 of the workers were living in Madison County and 64 others are living in Oneida County. Some 189 workers were tested Saturday, and state health department workers were to test more workers this week. The facility, which grows produce such as tomatoes and strawberries in greenhouses, employs about 300 people.

The Madison County workers have been living at the Days Inn in Canastota and at the Super 8 in Oneida, county officials said. Oneida County executive Anthony Picente said greenhouse workers in his county were staying at the La Quinta Inn in Verona.

During a Tuesday briefing at the Madison County office building, Faisst cautioned against labeling or stereotyping the workers.

“First of all, they’re not all migrants,” he said. "They’re contracted workers that are brought in. Please understand that, and kind of refrain from stigmatizing this particular group.

“They’re humans,” he added. “During our testing they were cooperative and extremely gracious, and they’re scared. So let’s not make it difficult for them by pigeonholing them.”

Faisst said that while there were language barriers making it more difficult to determine where the workers had been since contracting the virus, there was a benefit to having the workers being housed in three area motels.

“Containment and isolation is much easier to do,” he said.

The health director also said he thought the transmission of the coronavirus occurred outside of the greenhouse.

Faisst said the greenhouses are very large, and working conditions allow for social distancing, according to members of his staff who’ve toured the facility.

“I believe they are providing masks and (the workers) are wearing masks,” he said.

While the state is handling testing of the workers, Faisst and his 35-member staff are attempting to trace the recent movements of those who tested positive. He said the health department’s regular employees also have received a great deal of help from the Medical Reserve Corps., which is comprised of retired nurses and others.

Do you work at Green Empire Farm? Reporter Marnie Eisenstadt would like to speak with you. Reach her at 315-470-2246 or meisenstadt@syracuse.com.

Article Obtained from: https://www.syracuse.com/coronavirus/2020/05/workers-in-cny-hot-spot-different-countries-different-languages-add-to-tracing-challenges.html