A worker at the Fiat-Chrysler plant in Kokomo, Indiana, has tested positive for COVID-19. According to a spokesperson for Fiat-Chrysler, those who may have come into contact with the worker have been put in home quarantine.
In the meantime, according to the spokesperson, the worker’s station has been disinfected and the entire plant will be sanitized. Production at the factory is ongoing, but FCA says it is adjusting spacing of workers and break times in order to reduce the likelihood of more infection. Fiat has temporarily closed plants in Northern Italy, where the rate of infection is very high.
UAW Vice President Cindy Estrada released a statement expressing the union’s support for the sickened worker in Kokomo. “Our thoughts and support are with our UAW member and their family, friends and community in Kokomo, Indiana,” she said. She also encouraged UAW members and others to wash their hands and avoiding contact with other people.
According to Bloomberg News, a spokesperson for Fiat-Chrysler said that more than 14,000 employees who work in offices have been told to work from home.
On March 9, Boeing made a similar announcement about an employee at their Everett, Washington facility who tested positive for the virus. Boeing reported that the employee in question was in quarantine and receiving treatment and asked coworkers to self-quarantine at home. The Chicago, Illinois-based company had more than 65,000 employees in Washington as of 2017. The West-Coast state is the worst-hit state in the United States with more than 370 cases at press time according to Johns Hopkins University.
This story will be updated as more information comes in.
