"Stay home if you're sick."
That's the message to food industry workers from the nation's public health watchdog, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The problem is staying home isn't an option for food industry workers - 70% of whom are low wage employees with no paid sick days.
The health agency last month issued a bulletin that said the worst food-borne illnesses originated from contaminated food handled by sick workers.
It includes norovirus, the nasty stomach bug that is notorious for causing vomiting and diarrhea in cruise ship passengers. The virus also causes 20 million Americans in land to get sick every year. And infected food industry workers cause 70% of the cases.
But for most workers, taking off when sick means no pay, and at worst a lost job.
Read - These food workers have to work while sick – a risk to all of us
Previously:
Food safety: Take matters into your own hands
