Tesla Inc.’s TSLA factory in Fremont, California recorded about 450 COVID-19 cases following CEO Elon Musk’s decision to reopen the plant in May last year in defiance of a county-mandated shutdown, the Washington Post reported Saturday.
What Happened: The report quoted the COVID-19 figures from county-level data obtained by PlainSite, a legal transparency website, following a court ruling this year.
Tesla received about 10 reports of COVID-19 in May last year when the plant reopened and saw a steady increase in cases up to December, as per the report. The factory, which is the sole manufacturing plant for Tesla cars in the U.S. yet, employs about 10,000 people.
The electric vehicle maker was allowed to reopen its factory on the condition that it would report positive COVID-19 cases to the health department. Despite the factory recording about 10 cases in May, the health department reportedly told the Post in early June that there were no known cases of workplace infections.
See also: How to Invest in Tesla Stock
Controversial Reopening: Tesla shut down its Fremont factory in March last year after back-and-forth communication with Alameda County officials, who determined that the automaker was not an essential business and could not operate as usual during the pandemic. Tesla’s factory is located in Alameda County.
Musk had vigorously opposed the closure of the factory amid a county-mandated shutdown and was particularly critical of the lockdowns, referring to the measures as “fascist.” Tesla restarted production at the facility in May, defying the county rules.
According to the Washington Post report, Tesla workers who did not report for work in June and July received termination notices.
See Also: Tesla Fremont Factory Suffers Fire Damage, No Injuries Reported
Why It Matters: Musk’s initial reaction last year to the coronavirus pandemic had drawn intense criticism after he predicted in March there would be “close to zero new cases” in the U.S. by the end of April 2020.
On Saturday, Musk cast doubts about the efficacy of the coronavirus vaccines, despite assurances from medical experts that they are safe.
Price Action: Tesla shares closed 0.8% lower on Friday at $693.73.
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