SPRINGDALE, Ark. — Tyson Foods is partnering with Matrix Medical Network (Matrix), a leading clinical services company, to ensure the company’s U.S. team members are educated about COVID-19 vaccines and have access to them.
Matrix and Tyson's health services team will collaborate to deploy mobile health clinics and expert clinical staff to support vaccine communications, administration and counseling at Tyson Foods facilities beginning in early 2021.
“Providing vaccine education and accessibility is a critical part of our ongoing commitment to put the health and safety of our team members first,” said Dean Banks, president and CEO, Tyson Foods.
The company said it is committed to a long-term strategy that ensures any team member who wants a vaccine will receive one.
Vaccines will be administered at the earliest opportunity following guidance from health officials and in sufficient quantities to ensure effective scheduling and delivery.
“Tyson and Matrix have worked together throughout the pandemic to create clinically driven strategies to mitigate the risk of the virus in the workplace,” said Dr. Daniel Castillo, M.D., chief medical officer, Matrix Medical Network. “Providing vaccinations and healthcare monitoring to Tyson employees is the next step in a comprehensive approach to fighting COVID-19 and establishing new ways of maintaining workplace health and safety for the future.”
Tyson will strongly encourage employees to take the vaccination.
“Tyson workers are bravely serving on the frontlines so that millions of families can put food on the table during this crisis. Protecting these essential workers is vital to keeping our nation’s food supply secure as the pandemic worsens, and this new Tyson partnership is a critical step toward achieving that," said Mark Lauritsen, vice president, United Food and Commercial Workers International. "As the largest union for America’s food processing workers, UFCW will continue to work with industry leaders like Tyson in a unified effort to expedite vaccinations for workers who are essential to keeping our communities strong at this critical point in the pandemic."
Tyson Foods has invested more than $540 million to transform its U.S. facilities with protective measures, from walk-through temperature scanners and workstation dividers to social distance monitors and always-on testing, as well as provide additional team member pay and benefits.
The company is testing thousands of workers per week and proactively testing workers who have no symptoms.
Tyson has hired a chief medical officer and an additional 200 nurses and administrative staff this year who screen for symptoms, conduct testing and track cases to help care for team members if they become ill.