Tyson Foods has set deadlines for all U.S.-based employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The company requires all employees serving in U.S. leadership positions to be fully vaccinated by Sept. 24, office members by Oct. 1 and all other employees by Nov. 1, the company said in an Aug. 3 news release.
“Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is the single most effective thing we can do to protect our team members, their families and their communities,” Claudia Coplein, chief medical officer of Tyson Foods, said in the company's release. “With rapidly rising COVID-19 case counts of contagious, dangerous variants leading to increasing rates of severe illness and hospitalization among the U.S. unvaccinated population, this is the right time to take the next step to ensure a fully vaccinated workforce.”
Tyson Foods is the largest U.S. food company to require COVID-19 vaccinations.
Over 56,000 Tyson Foods U.S. employees have been vaccinated. The company has hosted more than 100 vaccination events and has spent over $700 million in COVID-19 related precautions such as purchasing masks, face shields, thermometers, as well as setting up on-site testing and vaccinations.
The company also plans to give $200 to fully vaccinated frontline team members as a display of gratitude for their service, according to Tyson Foods.