Food and agriculture workers in Sacramento County, Calif., have been abruptly removed from the county’s priority list for COVID vaccinations, with no explanation.
Workers in food processing plants, as well as farm and restaurant workers, had been designated as phase 1b by the county’s public health department, meaning they were in the group next in line behind health-care workers. But the Sacramento County website suddenly showed the box for food and agricultural workers unchecked for phase 1b.
Several food workers told KXTV-TV, the local ABC affiliate, that they had already booked appointments for vaccines and were abruptly told that they were canceled. One restaurant chef told the station that after making appointments for himself and his staff, Walgreens called to tell him that they were no longer in phase 1B and would not be vaccinated. Sacramento County authorities did not comment to KXTV.
"It seems like it’s just day by day. It’s changing, and it's just not fair when the state says one thing, (and) the county does another," another restaurant industry worker told the station.
Meanwhile, Tyson Foods is offering COVID vaccinations at or near its seven plants in Iowa. The free vaccinations, done in conjunction with local health departments, will be available this week to all 13,000 of Tyson’s Iowa employees.
