Meatpackers Press for Covid-19 Vaccine to Protect Line Workers

Meatpacking workers and their employers are pushing to the front of the line for coronavirus vaccinations as state governments roll out their distribution plans to combat the pandemic.

President-elect Joe Biden‘s administration is pushing to implement an emergency temporary standard that would compel most American workplaces to develop Covid safety protocols in line with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but the meatpacking industry — where workers still don’t maintain the recommended six-foot social distance — will face particular scrutiny after a series of large-scale infections.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited several meat ...