I'm not alone in saying I'd hoped COVID had been relegated to maybe one of a buffet of viruses that threaten, but can be managed. But once again, here it sits at the center of everybody's plate like the school lunch mystery meat of my childhood — and just as tough to swallow.

Meat processors are COVID-weary, as well. The virus puts meat plants, tailor-made as they seem to be for spreading the disease, back in the hot seat after companies have invested so many millions of dollars in mitigation to protect employees (and labor incentives to keep the lines moving).

But experience forges wisdom. As the delta variant fills emergency rooms once again, Tyson Foods, for one, has moved quickly and unequivocally to protect its assets: Get the vaccine (and collect $200), or else.

Just this week, Tyson Foods said it will require all of its U.S. team members to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the largest domestic food company to mandate such vaccinations for its entire workforce. Employees at Tyson’s U.S. offices will be required to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 1, with all others fully vaccinated by Nov. 1. All new hires also must be fully vaccinated before their start date. Employees have been promised a $200 incentive to get this done.

I expect other processors will follow suit in short order, or at least they should. Self-protective measures such as wearing masks or getting vaccinated (except in the cases of some rare medical conditions) have been needlessly, stupidly politicized, and Tyson is getting plenty of pushback (see the comments and join the discussion here); but, meat companies are in a position to administer some tough love to their communities. If individuals don't want to do the right thing for their employers, then it's time for the companies to take away their options.

There's a meme flying around social media about health care employees who have lost their jobs because they refused to be vaccinated, painting them as having been fired for exercising their right to personal choice. That's nonsense, and remains nonsense when talking about other industries, such as meat processing. Companies set and enforce their corporate policies, and have the legal right to do so; employees or applicants who don't want to follow the company's rules can work elsewhere. Nobody's freedoms are being encroached upon.

And in the larger U.S. business sector, Tyson is hardly alone. Anthem, BlackRock, Cisco, Delta Air Lines, DoorDash, Equinox, Facebook, Ford, Goldman Sachs, Saks, United Air Lines, Disney and Walmart, among others, are requiring vaccines for employees.

At the same time as Tyson's announcement, FSIS said it is directing all of its field and headquarters employees to wear a mask in federal buildings, regulated establishments, retail facilities and government vehicles, regardless of vaccination status, following changes in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations. The agency did not, as some analysts had expected, require employees of the inspected companies in areas of high transmission to mask up as well, or risk losing inspection services.

(Editor's note: on the day after Tyson's announcement, FSIS issued a new directive that the employees of all inspected establishments located in counties of high risk of transmission must also wear masks, at least when FSIS inspectors are on site.)

In pulling its punches, FSIS missed an opportunity to join Tyson in a leadership position for the industry. Meat companies have invested too much — and I'm not talking just about money here — in dealing with COVID, and the time for tip-toeing around political sensitivities is over.

Just get the damn shot already.

Welp, here we go again (updated)

Join for free* to continue reading.