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— Eyemagistus ✍🏼 (@eyemagistus) May 8, 2020

“…Despite the close contact with other workers, the USDA has not provided personal protective equipment (PPE) to inspectors. The department is still working to “identify PPE needs in the food supply chain,” the USDA spokesperson said Monday.

Instead, the USDA has offered a $50 stipend for inspectors to buy face coverings or the materials to make them, according to an FSIS notice issued in early April. It cited increased demand and limited supplies of commercial face coverings as the reason for the one-time reimbursement.