Governor Laura Kelly announces her administration’s plan to vaccinate meatpacking plant workers in Kansas. Under the plan, all meatpacking workers who want to be vaccinated will receive the first dose within the next two weeks.
“Throughout this pandemic, meatpacking plant workers have stepped up to successfully maintain the food supply chain,” Governor Kelly said. “We owe them our gratitude for keeping food on the shelves and on the plates of families across our state, our nation, and the world.”
“Since the pandemic began, many of us have anxiously awaited this day…a day where our meat processing employees would have access to a vaccine that would protect them, their coworkers, and their families,” Secretary Mike Beam, Kansas Department of Agriculture, said.
Much like Governor Kelly’s “Back to School” plan to vaccinate Kansas teachers and school staff, counties with meatpacking plants will receive additional vaccine doses specifically earmarked for meatpacking workers, in addition to the doses counties already receive from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).
KDHE is coordinating this approach with local health departments and directly with the meatpacking plants.
