Tyson Foods, Inc. is partnering with Matrix Medical Network (Matrix), a leading clinical services company, to help ensure the safety and health of its team members and contractors as the company begins to reopen some facilities. Matrix operates a network of locally based clinical providers and a fleet of mobile health clinics to provide community-based services with advanced diagnostic capabilities and enhanced care options.
When Tyson Foods begins to reopen idled facilities, it will be with the support of Matrix to further help protect the people who work in Tyson facilities, creating additional healthcare access when it comes to their individual health needs.
Matrix will provide the following at select facilities:
- Diagnostic (PCR) testing of team members for COVID-19
- Daily on-site clinical screening support at Tyson facilities to help ensure a safe working environment
- Assistance with the environmental design of Tyson facilities to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 spread
- Team member access to nurse practitioner care with access onsite or through a mobile health clinic
- Employee education and support for personal health goals or concerns
“Tyson is committed to implementing all possible measures to protect its team members,” said Hector Gonzalez, Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Tyson Foods. “We want to reopen our previously idled facilities, but also want to instill confidence in our workers and reassure them that we care deeply about their individual health needs. Our partnership with Matrix Medical Network will allow us to take additional precautions to help keep our employees safe.”
The company is deploying medical clinics at a number of Tyson facilities around the U.S. Additionally, the first deployment of mobile medical clinics will be on-site at Tyson Foods facilities in Louisa County, Iowa; Waterloo, Iowa; Logansport, Indiana; and Pasco, Washington, and several other locations to be determined. Additional medical clinics and mobile medical clinics will be deployed at Tyson facilities as needed.
“It’s a critically important time for us to come together to ensure each other’s health, safety, and stability,” said Dr. Daniel Castillo, Chief Medical Officer for Matrix Medical Network. “As the largest food company in the U.S., Tyson’s top priorities include protecting the health and safety of its workers, while also making sure America’s families have food to eat. At Matrix, our services are structured to provide an extra benefit that can bring peace-of-mind to Tyson team members as they return to work.”
Tyson Foods formed a coronavirus task force in January and has implemented numerous measures to protect workers. The company’s efforts have included:
- Taking worker temperatures and installing more than 150 infrared walkthrough temperature scanners in its facilities.
- Requiring and supplying facial protection.
- Widespread hand sanitizer stations.
- Implementing social distancing measures, such as installing workstation dividers, providing more breakroom space, erecting outdoor tents for additional space for breaks where possible, and staggering start times to avoid large gatherings as team members enter the facility.
- Relaxing its attendance policy to encourage workers to stay at home when they're sick and eliminating the waiting period for eligibility on short-term disability benefits, so workers can receive pay while they're sick with the flu or COVID-19.
- Increasing short-term disability coverage to 90% of normal pay until June 30, 2020, for team members who are unable to work due to illness, as another way of encouraging team members to stay home when they are sick.
