achut deng I came to America thinking I can never go through hell. But what if this come to me? This virus is very dangerous. It caught everybody off guard, including myself. I was never prepared for it.

michael barbaro

From The New York Times, I’m Michael Barbaro. This is “The Daily.” Today: One of the largest outbreaks of the coronavirus in the U.S. has been inside a meat processing plant in South Dakota. My colleague, Caitlin Dickerson, speaks with one of its workers. It’s Monday, May 4th.

caitlin dickerson

As an immigration reporter, as soon as I hear that Covid-19 is starting to spread across the country, I start thinking about who are the most vulnerable people in this pandemic. And right away, meat and poultry plants come to mind. Because these facilities tend to be staffed by immigrants. There’s going to be a lot of pressure on workers to show up for work, because they’ve been deemed essential by the federal government. And because of the nature of the work — the facilities are massive, and often you have thousands of people working at a single time, and they literally stand shoulder to shoulder. They’re touching all the time.

achut deng Hello? caitlin dickerson Are you there? Oh, shoot. You just dropped out. Something happened.

caitlin dickerson

So I’m put in touch with a woman named Achut Deng.

caitlin dickerson Woo! We did it. achut deng Yes, we did. [LAUGHS] caitlin dickerson Just to start out, Achut, can you just kind of introduce yourself and tell us what work you do? achut deng So my name is Achut Deng. I work with Smithfield. We produce pork.

caitlin dickerson

Achut is a shift lead at the Smithfield pork plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

achut deng And I am a lead person for one department, 8th floor conversion.

caitlin dickerson

She works in the conversion department, deboning and processing all different cuts of pork. She’s 35. And she’s a single mom of three boys —

achut deng Give — give me a second, OK? My son just come in. Give me a second.

caitlin dickerson

— who are trying to get their homework done while we talk.

achut deng Sorry. I’m back. caitlin dickerson You’re back. You’re back. OK. So how did you come to work at Smithfield? achut deng Do you want me to go from South Sudan to Ethiopia to Kenya and to America?

caitlin dickerson

Yeah.

achut deng OK. So yes, I was born in South Sudan. But then, when I was six years old, we had a terrorist attack in the village.

caitlin dickerson

Achut was born in Sudan. And she became an orphan when she was six years old during the country’s civil war.

achut deng And we walked to Kenya. And that was in 1990 — in 1991 still.

caitlin dickerson

She grew up in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya, where life was really hard.

achut deng They created the school. But pretty much, people go and sit under the tree. Because there was no building or classroom or anything like that in the beginning.

caitlin dickerson

Her school was a shady spot beneath a large tree, where children wrote their English lessons with sticks in the dirt.

achut deng Yeah. It seemed like it was normal at the time, because we didn’t have no — any other choice.

caitlin dickerson

She often went days without having food or fresh water. A lot of her friends died. She didn’t know if she was ever going to leave. So she took life one day at a time.

achut deng I would say it was just surviving. Because you don’t know what would happen tomorrow, you know?

caitlin dickerson

And then in the year 2000, her life changed completely.

achut deng I got the news that I was going to get a second chance on life. I’m going to go to the United States.

caitlin dickerson

She was chosen for a program that relocated Sudanese orphans.

achut deng Oh, my God. It was the happiest feeling for me. I could not believe. I didn’t go to sleep. The next day I went to school. I told my friends. Yeah.

caitlin dickerson

She moved to Kansas City, started a life in America. She graduated high school and started community college. And then she starts working as a waitress. And then, in her late 20s, doing private security.

caitlin dickerson And then, how do you get to Sioux Falls, South Dakota? achut deng How? You know, I always tell people I moved to Sioux Falls for a very stupid reason, thinking that I find a man. So that was pretty much a reason — a reason right there. [LAUGHING] I moved — I moved in with my younger son’s father. Then we broke up. caitlin dickerson OK. And how did you hear about the Smithfield factory for the first time? achut deng He actually told me about it. Because before I moved here, I told him I cannot go a month without a job because a lot of people are relying on me, and most importantly, my kids. So and that’s when he told me, oh, yeah. There is a company here, Smithfield. caitlin dickerson And when you were hearing about it, what were people saying? achut deng There was good things. Your start wages with Smithfield was $12.95. That is a very good pay. They have health care, health insurance. So a lot of people came to Sioux Falls because of Smithfield and what it was offering to people. I know a lot of Sudanese families came here because of Smithfield. So when I went and put in my application, right in there they told me, OK, you’ll start tomorrow. caitlin dickerson Wow. achut deng And I started as a Whizard knife operator. caitlin dickerson And for someone who’s never heard of Smithfield or been to the plant, can you just walk through what exactly it is that you guys do there? achut deng So Smithfield — we receive live hogs, slaughter them, cut them into pieces. What I mean by that, by cutting off hams, legs, we make bacon, ham, even hotdogs, cheese hotdogs. We have them. Those are the things we do at Smithfield. So it’s the entire pig that come alive, turn into so many things afterwards. caitlin dickerson And what is a Whizard knife? achut deng It’s a circle knife that goes into this electric thing. And you turn it off and on. caitlin dickerson And what is it used for? achut deng They use Whizard knife to trim off fat, from the loin until there’s pretty much all meat. Just meat without fat.

caitlin dickerson

So picture a massive factory floor with giant chunks of pork zooming by on a conveyor belt. And Achut and the other Whizard knife operators are responsible for shaving fat off of the meat as it zooms past them.

caitlin dickerson How many pigs are processed there every day? achut deng 10,000 or more pig. caitlin dickerson That’s huge. achut deng Yeah.

caitlin dickerson

And they’re responsible for 4 to 5 percent of all the pork that’s produced in the United States.

[music]

caitlin dickerson So when you first started, what did you think of it? How did it go? achut deng What did I think of Smithfield? Hard work. Hard work is what I thought of it. But you’re not really thinking of how hard it is. You are thinking of money. You know? And everything that — once you get the paycheck you are able to pay for the apartment. You are able to put foods on the table. These were the thing that I was thinking, you know? caitlin dickerson What was it like for you physically in the beginning, starting out? achut deng Once you start doing something for the first time, something that you never done, your muscle is going to reject it. Your body is going to reject it. So I was always sore. I was always — my wrists was sore. My arm, you know, went numb. So after work, I would come home and put ice, like, on my shoulder, or my wrist, and then take ibuprofen. And I did that every night. caitlin dickerson Wow. achut deng Until one day, I went to first aid. And I talked to the nurse. And the nurse was very, very nice, outgoing. And she said, you know what, Achut? Let me give you this advice. You know, this job is a hard work. It’s a very hard work. You’ve been doing this Whizard knife for a year now. And your wrist is hurting, your arm hurt, your shoulder hurt. I would do one job for about a year, but after that, find another job. That way you have a rotation in your body.

caitlin dickerson

So she takes this advice. And over the next couple years, she starts moving around in the factory to different jobs. She eventually becomes a shift lead. And she starts working a lot of overtime — usually 11 to 12 hours a day, six days a week. But it really pays off. She starts to feel comfortable financially.

achut deng I get paid $18.70 an hour. caitlin dickerson What has that higher hourly wage meant for your life? achut deng My boys, all three of them — I can give them what I never have, which is a better life at a young age. caitlin dickerson Uh huh. achut deng Last year, I took them to Disney World. That’s just something that — when I went there, I cried. But it was a tears of happiness. I’m bringing my kids. I am American by papers. I bring my kids here. And that was something I did. I was so proud of myself.

caitlin dickerson

Between the new salary she’s making and the overtime that she’s working, she’s able to move into a bigger apartment with her sons. And she’s also supporting five family members who are still living in Africa.

achut deng So this job offer me to take care for everybody else, not just my boys, you know? caitlin dickerson So you’re basically supporting nine people on your salary from Smithfield? achut deng Yes. caitlin dickerson Wow. achut deng So that’s why I pick up overtime regardless of me being tired. Every morning when I go to work, I put everything that the company offered me in order to make sure this food that I’m making doesn’t have anything that can go and harm someone. Because you know, these food are going to families. It’s going to children. It’s going to mothers. It’s going to fathers, uncles, aunts, everyone around the world. Working at the meat factory, I’m making food for people around the world. I think of that every day. caitlin dickerson It sounds like you take a lot of pride in your job. achut deng Yes. I do.

[music]

caitlin dickerson Do you remember the first time you heard about the coronavirus? achut deng Yeah. I would say it was sometime in January, February. We just talking about it. It’s kind of, like, it’s something that happened in China, and it’s going to stay in China. Then, come the beginning of March, it was Seattle. And then, the next morning I went to work. And now everybody at work is talking about it. But still — most of us, as refugees, immigrants, it’s, like — it’s probably, you know, people are maybe just being extra about it right now. Maybe it’s not that bad. caitlin dickerson Why do you think you reacted that way? achut deng For me, personally, I’m, like, OK. If it becomes to effect, I’m like, I’ve been through so much. If this is just like a virus, you’re talking to someone who had malaria, you know? I survived that. So it’s like, OK, if it’s going to be like malaria, I can go through it. It’s just going to be like any other thing that I’ve been through. caitlin dickerson But then, on Saturday, March 21, things start to change at Smithfield. achut deng When I went to work that morning, I saw a lot of people cleaning up the handrails, doors, bathroom doors with wipes. And then, I’m, like, what’s going on? And one of the people told me, yeah, this thing is serious, Achut. This thing is serious. But you know, I’m thinking now, OK, 150 to 160 people in one shift. You’re sitting in the break room to where tables are very small. You have six people in one table. caitlin dickerson And then, later that day, she gets an email. achut deng That time was when I receive an email, a video, from the C.E.O.s, Smithfield C.E.O. archived recording (ken sullivan) Hi. I’m Ken Sullivan, president and C.E.O. of Smithfield Foods. I’d like to talk to you today about Covid-19, or coronavirus. achut deng So I watched the video from the C.E.O. about this virus is not coming from food. archived recording (ken sullivan) According to the F.D.A. and C.D.C., there’s no evidence that Covid-19 can be transmitted by food. achut deng And America need food. Every family need food. We don’t want people to struggle from hunger, let alone a virus. archived recording (ken sullivan) — American families. We feed millions of people every day, every single day. It’s a business with no shortcuts and no days off. Most of our team members work side-by-side on production lines in our facilities. We can’t stay home. We can’t telecommute. Food, after all, does not get made on the internet. achut deng So our company is not going to get shut down. archived recording (ken sullivan) We’re here. We’re always here. We’re a food company. And despite Covid-19, indeed, because of it, we’re working around the clock to do what we do best. And that’s deliver good food responsibly. caitlin dickerson How did it feel to you to have your job deemed essential in the middle of a pandemic, when people all over the country are panicking? You know? Your work is deemed fundamental to keeping the country going. achut deng At one point, I was negative about it. At one point, I was, like, wow. Do that mean my life don’t matter? And here I am, putting my life at risk coming to work, because people around the world need food. caitlin dickerson Uh huh. achut deng But I said, OK. I’m just going to have to stay positive. And if people need food and I’m able to do that for them, then I’m just going to put my life to God to protect me and not get sick. So I’m — caitlin dickerson Did you also consider just staying home from work and not going in? achut deng To be honest, I did not. I was just thinking of, no, I need this job. I need to keep working so I can support my family. And thinking about it now, it’s, like — it hurts. caitlin dickerson It hurts that you didn’t think about yourself? achut deng Yes. [SNIFFLES] Yeah.

[music]

michael barbaro

We’ll be right back.

caitlin dickerson

By the end of March, hospitals across the country are being overrun by Covid patients. Governors start shutting down businesses and ordering people to shelter in their homes. But in South Dakota, there are still only a few Covid cases. And Achut is still going to work until Saturday, March 28.

achut deng Now Saturday, my superintendents came up around, I would say, at about 3:00. And he said, OK, I want us to have a meeting. caitlin dickerson Uh huh. achut deng They asked me if I have any fever, cough, any, you know, shortness of breath. And I say, no, I’m doing good. And he said one of the machine operator tested positive. I say what? caitlin dickerson Wow. achut deng That person — I worked with her that morning for, like, I would say, about 15 minutes. They said, OK, well, you got to go home. Because you had close contact with her. And I’m, like, really? I didn’t say it out loud, but I’m thinking, they’re being silly. And that’s when they told me you’re going to be under quarantine for the next 14 days. caitlin dickerson Uh huh. achut deng But I’m still going to get paid 40 hours. Is that enough for me? It’s not enough for me as a person who do overtime. Overtime is, like, $500 extra. $500. That, for me, it covered a lot of things. What do I do? I can’t go and get another job. But at that time, I was told it’s just two weeks. So I’m, like, OK. Two weeks? You know, I’ll be OK. It’s still going to drop me back, one step backward. But I will be OK. caitlin dickerson Uh huh. achut deng And then, Monday night was when I got sick. Monday night, I went to bed feeling OK. I woke up about 2:00 a.m. with this sharp pain on my body. It just feel like someone stabbed me. So you know, I went to the bathroom. And I said, OK, maybe if I take a shower, a cold shower, it’s going to be better. So I turned the water on. And it just — when the water hit my body, it feel like a bunch of rocks was getting thrown on my body. So I turned the water off. I took the towel to dry myself and my skin. I just couldn’t use the towel, my skin hurt. So like, OK, I’m freaking out. And then, Thursday night, my body at this point is so exhausted. Even walking is, like, I’m pushing myself. I just feel like something heavy sit right on my chest. Now the fear really kicked in, because now I’m having problem breathing. I said, OK, it’s going to be better for me, I’m going to stay up. I don’t want to sleep. Because if I go to sleep, chances are going to be I’m not going to wake up. That’s when I left my room. I came to the living room and just sat there. Because I said, OK, if I stay in my room and I die, I don’t want my kids to find me dead in the room. caitlin dickerson What was that like for you emotionally? achut deng [SNIFFLES] caitlin dickerson I mean, what’s going through your mind? achut deng (CRYING) I went right back to my childhood, to everything that I’ve been through in life. But now, my kids — if I die, my kids will go through the same thing I’ve been through. The loneliness, you know, not having anybody to check into, like a parent. I’m thinking, I bring these kids to this world, I survive through everything that I went through. I said, I haven’t even had a chance to tell them they don’t know their mom. They don’t know what their mom went through. All they know is that my mom is a workaholic. She would do anything to give us a better life. That’s all they know. It’s not a perfect world. I’d make it perfect for them. But if I die, this world is not perfect anymore. caitlin dickerson It sounds like a horrible, horrible night. achut deng Yeah. It was. It was one of the worst night ever.

caitlin dickerson

So while Achut is at home, sick with the coronavirus, the situation at Smithfield is evolving.

archived recording This Smithfield pork processing plant is now a coronavirus hot spot.

caitlin dickerson

More and more of her colleagues are falling ill.

caitlin dickerson How many other cases do you hear about among your colleagues? achut deng Oh, a lot, a lot, a lot. I think within the South Sudanese community alone, I think we have, like, at least 40 people that I know. But in my department, I was told that it went up to 80. In one department, 80 people. caitlin dickerson And how big is your department? achut deng On a good day that people showed up, it’s 155. archived recording 1 The outbreak at that Sioux Falls plant is among the worst clusters of coronavirus in the country. About 250 workers there tested positive for coronavirus. archived recording 2 350 workers tested positive for Covid-19.

caitlin dickerson

And as the days pass, it keeps getting worse. The number of cases skyrockets up to more than 400 Smithfield workers who are sick. And the governor calls on the head of the company to stop production.

archived recording One of the nation’s largest food processors, Smithfield Foods, will close its pork processing plant in South Dakota for further cleaning.

caitlin dickerson

So on April 12, the president of Smithfield announces he’s going to close the plant indefinitely. And all the workers are sent home.

archived recording This morning there were fears the nation’s food supply chain is at a breaking point, after more than a dozen major meat processing plants have become Covid-19 hot spots.

caitlin dickerson

Meanwhile, food processing plants across the country are getting hit hard with Covid. Other major companies, like Tyson, start raising the alarm that they’re having trouble producing and delivering food to the nation’s grocery stores because of the virus.

archived recording Meanwhile, President Trump announced an executive order to compel meat processing plants to remain open.

caitlin dickerson

And last week, President Trump signs an executive order declaring meat and poultry plants as part of the nation’s critical infrastructure, as a way to pressure the plants to keep producing food. In Sioux Falls, the plant is still closed. Smithfield says it will continue to pay workers for 40 hours a week until they go back to work. And it’s speeding up plans to reopen the plant as quickly as possible. But that’s also raised questions about whether it can do so safely.

caitlin dickerson How are you feeling now, physically? achut deng Physically, I feel, I feel good. I’m still having a little bit of headache. But you know, that’s, like, almost an everyday thing when you are a mom. And you know? So I’m not freaking out over it. But my fever this morning is still at 100, and I have no idea why. I’m just trying to get it down to like, 99 at least, before I call my doctor to go for a check in. But I cannot afford to stay home for a long time. I would give myself a month. And if it goes after four weeks, no. It wouldn’t be good for me at all. caitlin dickerson It sounds like as soon as you start feeling better, your focus goes from your health back to your finances. achut deng Yes. That is correct. So now my focus is to try to take care of myself as possible, to where when this company opens back up, then I’m ready to go. So that’s where my focus is. caitlin dickerson Achut, thank you so much for talking to us about your experience. achut deng You’re welcome. And thank you very much for at least giving me the voice. A lot of people don’t understand the living of the refugee camp. I don’t take anything for granted because of what I’ve been through. And because of what I see happening to other kids that did not make it. But I’m pretty sure they are looking over me. They are watching me. And I’m going to make them proud.

michael barbaro

On Friday, federal officials said they were investigating the conditions at the South Dakota Smithfield plant that may have contributed to the outbreak. So far, more than 1,000 infections and two deaths have been linked to the plant. Nevertheless, it is scheduled to partially reopen later today. We’ll be right back. Here’s what else you need to know today. On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration granted emergency approval to the antiviral drug Remdesivir, making it the first government-sanctioned treatment for those with Covid-19.

^archived recording

Now that your company has this emergency use authorization, how quickly will the drug get to those people who need it?

archived recording (daniel o'day) We are grateful and really humbled that everything has moved so quickly. You know, it’s only been —

michael barbaro

In an interview on Sunday with CBS, the C.E.O. of the drug’s manufacturer, Gilead, said he was working with federal officials to ensure that the first shipments of the drug reach America’s hardest hit communities and hospitals.

archived recording (daniel o'day) And Margaret, we intend to get that to patients in the early part of this next week. We’re beginning to work with the government, which will determine which cities are most vulnerable and where the patients are that need this medicine.

michael barbaro

And —

archived recording (andrew cuomo) We’re going to form a consortium with our seven Northeast partner states, which buy about $5 billion worth of equipment and supplies. That will then increase our market power when we’re buying.

michael barbaro

Seven states said they would begin jointly purchasing medical equipment, from gloves to ventilators, to avoid competing with one another. And because the federal stockpile of such equipment is running out.

archived recording (andrew cuomo) So this consortium, I think, will help us get the equipment and get it at a better price.

michael barbaro