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Tyson Plans New Health Clinic At Wilkesboro Plant

The Tyson Foods processing complex in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. KERI BROWN/WFDD

Tyson Foods is preparing to launch several pilot health clinics near company facilities. One will be located at its chicken processing plant in Wilkesboro. 

The company is partnering with Marathon Health for the project. Seven worksite health clinics are planned to open across the country this year. The centers will offer a variety of services to workers and their families including primary and preventative care and behavioral health counseling.

Wilkes County leaders say health care access is important in rural communities like this one and they're excited about the project, which will be located on plant property.

Tyson spokesman Derek Burleson says it's one of several initiatives the company is taking to step up its health efforts amid the pandemic.

“The goal is to give team members and families easier access to health care and in a vast majority of cases this will be at no cost to the team member," says Burleson. "We are hoping that the Wilkesboro clinic will be open this spring.”

The Wilkesboro plant employs around 3000 people. Tyson says the clinics will be designed to serve a diverse workforce, providing communications in multiple languages. 

For the most up-to-date information on coronavirus in North Carolina, visit our Live Updates blog here. WFDD wants to hear your stories — connect with us and let us know what you're experiencing.

*Follow WFDD's Keri Brown on twitter @kerib_news

Keri Brown is a multi-award winning reporter and host at 88.5 WFDD. She has been honored with two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her stories about coal ash, and was named the 2015 radio reporter of the year by the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas (RTDNAC).Although she covers a variety of topics, her beats are environmental and education reporting.Keri comes to the Triad from West Virginia Public Broadcasting, where she served as the Chief Bureau Reporter for the Northern Panhandle. She produced stories for the state's Public Television and Radio programs and was honored by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her feature and enterprise reporting.She also served as an adjunct instructor at Wheeling Jesuit University and Bethany College in West Virginia. She worked with the Center for Educational Technologies in Wheeling, WV, and other NASA centers across the country to develop several stories about the use of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts in the classroom.Keri's journalism career began at WTRF-TV 7 in Wheeling. She worked in several roles at the station, including the head assignment editor. She also was a field producer and assignment manager at WPGH-TV Fox 53 in Pittsburgh.Keri is a graduate of Ohio University. When she's not in the studio or working on a story, she enjoys watching college football with her family, cooking, and traveling.Keri is always looking for another great story idea, so please share them with her. You can follow her on Twitter @kerib_news.

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