Boeing (NYSE:BA) is planning to resume commercial aircraft production at its Seattle-area factories as early as Monday with new physical distancing measures aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19.
The company had suspended production at those factories three weeks ago amid stay-at-home orders in Washington state. It later said it would temporarily shut down production at its South Carolina factory where it makes wide-body 787 jetliners, a move that effectively suspended Boeing’s commercial aircraft assembly.
Boeing will require face coverings at its Washington state sites and will mark floors and post signs to indicate appropriate physical distance between employees. Staff will also come in on a staggered schedule.
Other measures to stop the spread of the disease include employee "wellness checks," voluntary temperature taking at the factories and contact tracing if employees test positive for COVID-19.
A spokesperson for the plane giant says Boeing is tracking about 65 active cases of COVID-19 among its employees, while around 120 others have fully recovered.
The precautions might be a taste of what employees currently working from home across various industries might face when they return to company facilities.
Boeing’s CEO Dave Calhoun, in a note to staff, cheered the progress airlines made toward getting billions in government aid to help soften the blow from the coronavirus, which has sent U.S. air travel demand down 95% from a year ago.
Shares gained $12.36, or 9.2%, to $146.60
