When Will Restaurant Workers Get COVID-19 Vaccinations?

Restaurant workers in the U.S. have had to contend with more than 110,000 closures and bankruptcies popping up left and right in addition to risking exposure to COVID-19 every day as public-facing, essential employees. Now, with the COVID-19 vaccine making the rounds across the country, many food service franchises, restaurant owners and employees are left wondering how long they will have to wait to finally feel secure. 

Second in Line

According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) presentation released Sunday, restaurant workers hopefully won’t have to wait too long. The CDC has recommended that foodservice workers be included in “round 1c” of the COVID-19 vaccination distribution under the "other essential workers" designation. 

Round 1c consists of “essential workers” who would receive the vaccine in the second round of inoculations, right after healthcare workers. According to the presentation, round 1c also includes transportation, construction, finance, energy and media employees.

As of right now, the CDC hasn’t provided an expected time for vaccine deployment, but those in round 1c would at least have to wait behind “21 million U.S residents aged 75 and older and 30 million frontline essential workers”, according to the agency's presentation.

Not Out of the Woods Yet

While round 1c theoretically puts restaurant workers ahead of hundreds of millions of Americans, there’s no guarantees just yet. The CDC only recommends guidelines, state governments are the ones who determine essential worker prioritization for the vaccine distribution.

Whether or not to require vaccinations as a mandatory term of employment represents another emerging challenge for franchisors across every segment. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said employers can require proof of COVID-19 vaccination in a Dec. 16 guidance. In an industry where many employees don’t qualify for health benefits, this potentially expensive and inconvenient requirement brings up a thorny subject for many restaurateurs.

These questions come as the restaurant industry continues to lobby for additional aid from the government, especially after the recently passed $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill left out specific help for the restaurant industry while setting aside money for theaters and childcare. 

While the Mayor of Flavortown has been doing his part, without sufficient government aid, having restaurant workers quickly vaccinated could be essential in helping the segment bounce back.