Ford orders freezers to make coronavirus vaccine available to employees
'We do take COVID very seriously,' a Ford official said
Ford Motor Co. has ordered a dozen freezers to store the new COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available.
Pfizer, which announced on Nov. 20 that it was requesting emergency use authorization for its 95% effective vaccine, has said that the vaccine must be stored at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit. Moderna's and AstraZeneca's vaccine must similarly be stored at cool temperatures.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | FORD MOTOR CO. | 12.86 | -0.18 | -1.42% |
| PFE | PFIZER INC. | 25.49 | +0.23 | +0.91% |
| MRNA | MODERNA INC. | 106.18 | -2.67 | -2.45% |
| AZN | ASTRAZENECA PLC | 75.03 | +3.83 | +5.38% |
"It's important to Ford because the health and safety of our employees is our top priority," Kelli Felker, Ford global manufacturing and labor communications manager, told FOX Business. "We ordered a dozen freezers to make a COVID-19 vaccine available to our employees on a voluntary basis when it becomes available.”
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The company is looking to give the vaccine to employees only as of now, though plans are still under consideration, the Free Press reported. The automaker took a significant hit to sales in the spring due to the pandemic and factory shutdowns.
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Felker added that workers have been following safety protocols such as "a daily health survey, daily temperature scans [and] required use of masks at all times" in the meantime, and the vaccine "would be another layer on top of what [Ford is] already doing to help keep our employees safe."
"We do take COVID very seriously," she said.
The first U.S. coronavirus vaccinations could happen as soon as mid-December, according to Reuters.
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