Emergency Action Message: Bat-Origin Coronaviruses Expand Their Host Range to Pigs

Summary:

Wise COVID-19 risk mitigation action would now include the assumption that the pig population in the USA is asymptomatically infected with SARS-COV-2.

Analysis:

1) Research from 2018 has shown that "Bat-Origin Coronaviruses Expand Their Host Range to Pigs"  (link in source documents below)

2) US Pork processing facilities are being massively disproportionally hit with COVID-19 cases, as compared to beef, and poultry processors 

3) The pork processing plants are mostly located in States with otherwise very low per capita Coronavirus infections


4) Pigs are known to be susceptible to Coronavirus infections.

5) Due to immense economic pressures there will be great hesitance to inform the public of any risks related to Pigs spreading COVID-19 infections.

6) A knee-jerk public reaction to infected pigs could lead to destruction of the pork industry and potentially increase the world wide risk of starvation.

Conclusion:

Given the correlation preponderance and the high impact of infection, it is a wise risk mitigation decision at the individual level to proceed as if Pigs and raw pig products  were a direct source of  COVID-19 infections.

Source Links:

Bat-Origin Coronaviruses Expand Their Host Range to Pigs

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-20/jbs-shuts-down-minnesota-pork-plant-as-virus-roils-meatpackers

SARS-COV-2 Heat Resistance & Meat Products