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Safety changes coming at Newport News Shipbuilding

The shipyard will take workers' temperatures and move from three shifts to two.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — They are up to 36 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among the workforce at Newport News Shipbuilding, with 13 of them having recovered and being cleared to return to work. 

Beginning Friday, May 1, some important changes are coming. It's the soft rollout for touch-less infrared temperature screenings of the workers.

By Monday, it will be implemented at all seven of the shipyard's entry gates.

Employees whose temperatures exceed 100 degrees will not be allowed in. There'll then be a second check. If their temperature is still above 100, they'll be sent home with a flyer of information about additional medical care and testing they should seek.

 Also on Monday, the shipyard will switch from three to two 8-hour shifts -- leaving three and a half hours between shifts for deep cleaning of workspaces.

"Our first primary focus is the safety of our workforce," said  Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin.

She said the priorities are the 25,000 employees' health, the product itself -- Navy aircraft carriers and submarines -- and, the long term viability of the company.

"Part of the decision to allow our employees liberal leave is so they can make decisions that best suit them and their family, but know that they have a job here, that their employment will continue beyond COVID," she said.

Boykin likened the current situation to how the shipyard coped with the 1918 Spanish Flu. Then, as now, shipyard leaders urged workers to wear face masks and to avoid large gatherings of people.

RELATED: Lawmakers urge Navy to protect private shipyards

RELATED: Newport News Shipyard moves to 2 shifts in effort to reduce virus spread

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