Tyson Foods ends COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all employees
Meat processing plants were hit especially hard by COVID-19 at the beginning of the pandemic
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Tyson Foods, the largest meat producer in the U.S., ended its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all employees on Oct. 31.
"While COVID-19 remains a public health concern, it no longer presents the same level of threat as it did 15 months ago when we made the decision to have a vaccinated workforce as a safety measure for our team members and our work environment," a Tyson Foods spokesperson told Fox Business.
"The risk of severe infection has decreased significantly, with many resources readily available including vaccines and boosters, testing, and improved treatment options."
Tyson Foods announced the mandate in August 2021, saying that office employees must be vaccinated by Oct. 1, 2021, and all employees across the board must be vaccinated on Nov. 1, 2021.
A car passes in front of a Tyson Foods Inc., sign at Tyson headquarters in Springdale, Ark. (AP Photo/April L. Brown, File / AP Newsroom)
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday, the company said that the mandate "generally improved our ability to operate our business effectively in fiscal 2022."
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TSN | TYSON FOODS INC. | 64.45 | +0.64 | +1.00% |
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Meat processing plants were hit hard by coronavirus at the beginning of the pandemic, forcing Tyson to shut down multiple plants throughout the country in 2020.
Pharmacist Madeline Acquilano draws a syringe of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill / AP Newsroom)
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The Supreme Court struck down a vaccine mandate for companies with more than 100 employees in January 2022 that was issued by President Biden, but businesses can still require workers to wear masks or get vaccinated.
Reuters contributed to this report.