Detroit’s autoworkers are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine without any restrictions due to age or proof of preexisting conditions, it was announced Tuesday.
All manufacturing workers who live or work in the city are covered by the announcement, which most affects the predominant auto industry.
The expanded eligibility, similar to actions by such municipalities as Boone County, Ill., will help keep auto plants safe and operating, per CNBC.
At least 10,000 United Auto Workers are employed in Detroit area, according to the union
“The auto companies and UAW have done a great job so far, but nothing is as good as vaccination,” Mayor Mike Duggan said during a press conference.
Major manufacturing plants — starting with two SUV plants for Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler) — and a conference center will take part in Detroit’s rollout of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines.
Detroit automakers endured a two-month shutdown of their plants last year, when they implemented extensive safety guidelines that included mask wearing and temperature screenings.
“Workers in manufacturing, whether they’re union or not, have really been there throughout this whole pandemic working and it’s not been easy,” said UAW Vice President Cindy Estrada, who was vaccinated during the press conference.
“We’ve had illness in our plants and deaths, so this is incredibly important.”
A UAW spokesman said fewer than 30 of the union’s roughly 400,000 members have died due to COVID-19.
Stellantis employees in Boone County, Ill., were among the first autoworkers to receive coronavirus vaccinations.
Detroit’s website said the city had administered 90,170 doses, or 70.7 percent, of its received doses.
Source: Newmax
