(WWJ) Ford Motor Co. is reinstating its mask mandate for employees in two states that are seeing rising cases of COVID-19.
Thus far, Michigan is not included.
One of the states is Missouri, where Ford's massive Kansas City Assembly plant is located, and the COVID case average has reached a six-month high.
WWJ's AutoBeat Reporter Jeff Gilbert says workers who have been on the job maskless for weeks will have to resume wearing face coverings at that facility.
General Motors recently made the same move at its plant in Wentzville, Missouri, on the other side of the state.
The other state where Ford is reinstating its mask rule in Florida, where the automaker does a lot of its automated vehicle research.
On Monday, Florida reported more COVID-19 cases than any other U.S. state, with hospitalizations in some areas increasing at the fastest rate since the start of the pandemic, according to state health officials.
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Ford said it will react as needed to protect employees, so other states could be added as the situation changes. Ford also said it will require vaccination of all workers who travel internationally.
This comes as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to backpedal on some of its masking guidelines, recommending that even vaccinated people wear masks indoors if they live in an area where COVID-19 cases are surging.
The CDC is expected to make the announcement sometime Tuesday.