Volkswagen reported Wednesday that 31 of its Chattanooga workers and subcontractors have tested positive for coronavirus since the automaker resumed production on May 17.
This number of positive cases occurred since mid-June, when the plant reported that there were 12 cases among its employees, subcontractors and suppliers since the meeting resumed in May after a two-month closure.
According to VW, the company has evaluated 520 employees and contractors since staff returned two months ago. While 31 yielded positive results, less than 6% of those evaluated and less than 1% of its 3,800 employees, the company reported.
Tom du Plessis, leader of VW Chattanooga, said Wednesday that the more than 90 fitness and protection measures implemented at the plant since the reopening were effective.
“Based on those results, our formula and what we do are working. These are not cars at all costs,” he said, adding that protecting VW workers is the main concern.
The tactile search made us think that all the positive cases were the result of the plant’s outdoor exposure, du Plessis said.
“The transmission took position outside, inside, ” he said. “People want to reposition their behavior outside.”
A Facebook post previously published this month through a woman who said her husband worked at the plant had complained about the “flame” of coronavirus cases and raised questions about procedures, detection and transparency.
The plant’s CEO said the company had been sharing knowledge of the coronavirus with the workers “from day one.”
“We’ve been completely transparent about this,” he said. “It’s a good fortune for us. We have nothing to hide.”
The plant’s spokeswoman, Amanda Plecas, said in an email that the company stores an update on coronavirus cases. This data includes a set of positive Americans who have entered the plant since March, a total of on-site and offsite cases, as with suppliers, and reported negative evidence, he said.
In addition, the plant stores the express spaces of the plant where there has been prolonged exposure to the virus, the number of close contacts identified, the date a user last arrived at the plant and a review of the fitness and protection protocols, Plecas said.
“We have CDC protocols for touch detection, disinfection, and quarantine,” he said.
Plecas stated that as soon as a user is suspected of having possible exposure to coronavirus, the employee’s badge on the plant is suspended.
“These other people want to get the negative COVID-19 test to get back to the plant,” he said.
Of the 31 positive cases, thirteen workers ended their quarantine period, gained two negative verification effects and returned to work, according to VW.
The CEO of the du Plessis plant said production had been allocated to the plant when the results were positive or that the effects were pending for other workers.
He said absenteeism is not “abnormally high,” raising the number to 1% or a little more.
The volume of the plant, which assembles the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUVs and passat sedan, has returned to pre-coronavirus levels, du Plessis said.
“We have a strong demand for our vehicles,” he said, especially SUVs. “We have very little stock.”
Contact Mike Pare at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @MikePareTFP.