Dec 20, 2020

ARLINGTON, VA - Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO of FMI – The Food Industry Association, hailed today’s recommendation by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to include food and agriculture essential workers in Phase 1b of the COVID-19 vaccination effort:

“Beginning in the initial days of the pandemic, food industry workers have been a vital component of ensuring Americans have access to safe, nutritious and affordable food, as well as other consumer products that have been indispensable to pandemic response. Prioritizing COVID-19 vaccinations for these frontline workers will help keep Americans nourished by protecting the nation’s supply of food and essential consumer goods.

“Food industry workers have gone above and beyond in demonstrating their continued resilience to meet unprecedented expectations and demand.  Beyond the deep cleaning, shelf replenishing and physical distancing tasks, the pandemic has offered a new perspective on how essential the food industry worker is to the function of society.  Supermarket pharmacies will be a safe, convenient place for shoppers to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations, and in the interim, our members are providing healthy meal solutions, cleaning products and a full range of pharmacy services to support Americans’ health and well-being.”