Tesla plant reports hundreds of COVID-19 cases after reopening

Tesla’s determination to restart EV production at the Fremont plant in May last year has apparently had consequences. According to the Washington Post, The PlainSite obtain Alameda County health data showed the Tesla plant had about 450 COVID-19 cases between the official reopening in May 2020 and the end of that year. There were ten or fewer cases in May, but they climbed to 125 in December when the winter wave took hold.

It is unclear how many of the cases led to hospitalization or community spread, although the country said in June that there were no known cases of factory infections among the general public. Data for 2021 were not shared as we wrote it, although it may reflect general trends of a January upswing, followed by a gradual decline.

The cases represent ‘only’ 4.5 percent of the approximately 10,000 people located in Fremont. However, they suggest workers became ill in May, when Elon Musk formally reopened the factory in opposition to provincial closure measures. They also make it clear that Tesla, like Amazon and other technology giants, has frequently grappled with COVID-19 cases among workers who have no choice but to work on-site.

There have been ongoing complaints that companies are not accommodating workers who are unable or unwilling to work, with the chance of a possible coronavirus infection. While Tesla told factory workers that they may stay home if they do not feel safe returning, there were reports in early summer that Tesla was firing staff who did not want to show up.

The situation is likely to improve as the wave (hopefully) subsides and more factory workers get vaccinated. However, it still indicates that Tesla’s health costs were for record production numbers in 2020, and that there is likely to be a further toll in 2021.