Detroit expands suitability of Covid vaccine for car workers

DETROIT – Manufacturers in the city, such as car workers, are now eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine without any restrictions such as age or proof of existing conditions.

The expanded suitability for Detroit manufacturers is a major extension for enrolling car workers for vaccination following similar actions by municipalities such as Boone County in Illinois. This should help keep employees working safely and automatically.

The United Auto Workers union estimates that at least 10,000 of its members work in Detroit. A total number of manufacturers living in the city were not immediately available.

The launch of Detroit’s two-dose Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will be done at a conference center and major manufacturing clinics, starting with two Stellantis SUVs, formerly Fiat Chrysler. Manufacturers living or working in the city are eligible, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced Tuesday.

“The car companies and UAW have done an excellent job so far, but nothing is as good as vaccination,” Duggan said during a news conference, including Cindy Estrada, vice president of the UAW, who was vaccinated.

Detroit carmakers took extensive safety measures and guidelines for social distance last year during a two-month shutdown of their plants to reduce Covid-19 distribution. The implemented safety measures include plastic barriers, masks and other things like temperature screens and protocols when entering and leaving the plants.

“Workers in manufacturing, whether they are unions or not, were there during the whole pandemic, and it was not easy,” Estrada said. “We’ve had diseases in our plants and deaths, so it’s incredibly important.”

According to union spokesman Brian Rothenberg, less than 30 of the approximately 400,000 members of the UAW have died as a result of Covid-19. He said the union was working “with the White House, governors and all our partners on the vaccine distribution plans.”

Stellantis employees in Boone County, Illinois, were among the first car workers to receive Covid-19 vaccinations. The company said it was “looking forward to working with other health departments to make vaccines available to the rest of our Stellantis employees according to local distribution plans.”

“The announcement today is an important step in protecting our employees and our communities so that we can return to the lives we all want to live,” Stellantis said in a statement.

The Stellantis plant in Detroit, including a new plant that is not quite up and running, is one of the largest manufacturing operations in the city. The company initially expects to provide 8,000 people with vaccination.

General Motors also owns a large plant in the city, but the factory will only temporarily manufacture vehicles later this year due to construction.

Detroit administered 90,170 doses – 70.7% of the doses it received – and according to its website, more than 52,800 appointments were scheduled.