Essential Workers Next for COVID Vaccine as Outbreaks Spread in Grocery Stores and Meatpacking Plants.

Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) – which represents a total of 1.3 million food and retail workers – including over 20,000 Georgia workers – applauded the new CDC advisory committee vote to prioritize essential workers for the next round of COVID vaccine distribution.

New COVID outbreaks in grocery stores in Los Angeles and Seattle highlight the urgent need to distribute the vaccine to the union’s essential workers. Among UFCW members, the union confirmed there have already been 350 frontline worker deaths and at least 48,000 frontline workers infected or exposed as COVID-19 cases skyrocket across the country.

UFCW International President Marc Perrone released the following statement:

“America’s essential workers have been on the frontlines of this deadly pandemic since day one, putting themselves in harm’s way in grocery stores and meatpacking plants to feed our families during this crisis. With COVID-19 cases continuing to skyrocket, hundreds of these essential workers have already died and thousands more are infected daily as they serve our country by keeping our food supply secure.

“As the largest union for America’s essential workers in grocery, meatpacking, and food processing, UFCW applauds the CDC’s advisory committee for prioritizing these brave men and women for access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Protecting our country’s food workers is essential to keeping our communities safe and stopping future outbreaks in these high-exposure workplaces.”

Health experts agree with the CDC advisory panel vote to prioritize essential workers like those in grocery, meatpacking, and food processing for early vaccine access, with these workers facing daily risk of exposure to COVID-19 as the pandemic continues.

“These workers are essential. They’re fundamental to our response to Covid. And they’re at risk because they work in close proximity to others,” said Henry Bernstein, chief of pediatrics at North Shore University Hospital.

 

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