Director of Meat Industry Ireland (MII) Cormac Healy has said it would be “logical” for essential workers such as those working in meat factories to get the COVID-19 vaccine, following the prioritisation of at-risk and vulnerable groups and health workers.

He said that this was the approach indicated by European Commission guidelines on vaccination strategy.

Throughout the pandemic, workers in factories across the globe have been subject to a high number of cases, due in part to their working environment.

UK plan

The meat industry in the UK has already called on its government to ensure that factory workers are some of the first in line to receive the vaccine.