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NATSO, Fuel Retailers Urge HHS to Consider Interdependence of Essential Workers in Vaccine Distribution Plans

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NATSO, along with the National Association of Convenience Stores, Energy Marketers of America, and the Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America, urged the Department of Health and Human Services to consider the interdependent nature of essential workers as it determines the next round of vaccination priorities.

In a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, ºÚÁÏÉçÇøsaid that our industry interacts with a broad array of essential workers, including health care workers, first responders and truck drivers, without whom food and vaccines could not get to the people who need them.

“Just like our industry’s workers depend upon all of these other essential workers to protect their well-being, every frontline worker needs our industry ensuring there is fuel and other goods to make sure they can get to and do their jobs,” the groups wrote.

NATSO along with industry trade groups representing fuel retailers in November urged the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that federal priorities are followed throughout the vaccine distribution chain and prioritize employees of essential businesses after health care workers when a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available. ºÚÁÏÉçÇøsaid that essential workers of businesses that are part of the critical infrastructure workforce should receive a vaccine as part of Phase 1-B of a jurisdiction’s distribution scheme. Phase 1-B would follow behind only those healthcare personnel who are grouped into Phase 1-A. 

[ºÚÁÏÉçÇøUrges HHS to Appropriately Prioritize Essential Workers in Vaccine Distribution]

Truckstop workers and commercial truck drivers are included on the list of “essential critical infrastructure workers” by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in its “Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce.”

In its Dec. 17 letter the groups said, “As you consider who to include in Phase 1-B of the vaccine distribution plan, then, we strongly urge you to keep in mind the interdependence of essential workers in our industry and others. We need a critical number of essential workers across many sectors to ensure that we can all get through this crisis together.” 

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Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman
Wlazlowski Neuman leads ºÚÁÏÉçÇøand the ºÚÁÏÉçÇøFoundation’s public affairs initiatives and communications strategies to promote the truck stop and travel center industry to the public, opinion leaders, elected officials, and the media. Her outreach includes a spectrum of policy issues facing the industry, with a particular focus on transportation and fuel issues, truck parking, and human trafficking. She serves as NATSO’s representative on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Truck Parking Coalition, the Clean Freight Coalition, and various state truck parking technical advisory committees. She is the architect of the truck stop and travel center industry’s anti-human trafficking campaign and currently serves as a Committee member for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Human Trafficking Advisory Council. Wlazlowski Neuman serves on the American Highway Users Policy and Government Affairs Committee.

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