MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – We now know who’s next in line to get the COVID-19 vaccine, as a part of the state’s Phase 1B rollout. But, despite being urged by the group Wisconsin Manufacturing & Commerce, manufacturing workers are still excluded.
Teachers, child care workers, essential workers and even prisoners are among those who will be able to get vaccinated as early as March 1. But, that doesn’t include manufacturing workers – a group the WMC says has the most essential of workers in it.
“It’s just really disappointing that we have prisoners that are going to be eligible for a vaccine, that our state’s largest industry, and an industry that has responded and been critical to the state’s response to COVID-19, are being excluded,” said Nick Novak, VP of communications and marketing for WMC.
From the onset of the pandemic, manufacturing workers had been considered essential.
That’s why, Novak tells FOX 11, the WMC believes they shouldn’t be viewed any differently now.
“When it comes to the vaccine, being told that they’re not essential, it’s really quite disappointing that Gov. Evers, and the Department of Health Services would ignore the federal recommendations that said manufacturing workers should be in this next phase.”
A CDC committee has recommended that manufacturing workers be included in Phase 1B.
The industry employs more than 470,000 people in the state, almost all of whom had to continue going into their factories throughout the pandemic.
“To make something, you do need to go into a manufacturing facility,” Novak pointed out.
“If, for some reason, there’s an outbreak, they’re gonna not be able to be working and getting that income,” said Ann Franz, executive director for NEW Manufacturing Alliance. “It’s really critical that these individuals get that vaccination.”
Several manufacturers and manufacturing workers even changed their operations and production lines, playing a huge role during the pandemic.
“To become the ones actually making personal protective equipment, and supplying our hospitals with the needed medical supplies throughout this pandemic,” Novak said.
Franz tell FOX 11….
“We need to make sure that our workforce that’s making a lot of the PPE and other things that people need, those workers are safe.”
No word from the Governor’s office as to why manufacturing workers weren’t included in Phase 1B.
