Vax Mandate Impact Pt 2
With today’s Fruit Grower Report, I’m Bob Larson. The vaccine mandate for foreign guestworkers is not ideal, but since 90-95% of the workers returning were here last year and are already vaccinated, the problems should be minimal.
That’s according to WAFLA’s Dan Fazio who says, on the other hand, there are also many who have questions about testing …
FAZIO … “It’s important to note that there is not testing required to enter the U.S. via land enter, okay? You don’t have to have a test that was conducted 24, 48, 72 hours before. All you have to do is have that card that says that you were vaccinated by one of the ten acceptable vaccinations.”
But Fazio says getting tested is still a good idea …
FAZIO … “So our recommendation at WAFLA is that you have workers tested and boosted immediately upon getting to your farm.”
Aside from that, Fazio says things will happen in just about that same way as last year…
FAZIO … “Do the same thing that you did last year. We’ve got the same great program in place with Medical Teams International. Several other providers that are doing that and thanks to the government, the state and feds, it’s all free. The testing and boostering on arrival here is all free, so that’s our recommendation is to go that route.”
Fazio says he’d like to thank our Congressional delegates
Dan Newhouse and Kim Schreier for the work they’ve done to help ease the challenges for guest workers.
