ICYMI: To Bolster Workforce and Maintain Competitiveness, Manufacturers Boost Vaccines in New Report

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Manufacturers today released a new report on workforce resilience and productivity, focused on the economic benefits of vaccines to prevent illness, lower healthcare costs and reduce absenteeism. As first reported by Politico’s Prescription Pulse (subscription) newsletter, “Industrial Immunity: Inoculating the Manufacturing Economy” shows how Gold Standard Science and a predictable regulatory environment not only improves health outcomes for manufacturing workers and their families, but also strengthens the manufacturing economy.

NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons told Politico:

“With 95% of manufacturing workers eligible for health benefits through their employers and 70% of manufacturers reporting rising healthcare costs as a top business challenge, our industry has a direct stake in policies that keep workers healthy and healthcare affordable. Strong, stable and consistent vaccine policies are common sense—keeping workers on the job, factories running and America’s economy humming.

“Operation Warp Speed demonstrates that President Trump values the critical role that vaccines play in protecting manufacturing workers. This landmark whole-of-government and private-sector partnership proves what can happen when America backs innovation, accelerates the development of safe and effective vaccines against devastating diseases and delivers them at historic speed.

“That same pro-worker, pro-manufacturing approach—providing certainty for vaccine makers and safeguarding workers on manufacturing shop floors across the country—should guide national vaccine policy today.”

The report outlines the cost of vaccine-preventable illness as well as the immediate benefits of a strong national vaccine policy:

• According to the NAM’s most recent quarterly Outlook Survey, 70% of manufacturers cite healthcare and healthcare costs as a top business concern.
• Fifty-five percent of manufacturing managers say replacing an absent sick employee with someone equally qualified would be difficult or impossible.
• The estimated annual economic cost of vaccine-preventable illness was at least $12.5 billion in 2026.
• For manufacturers, illness-related absenteeism cost roughly $30 billion.

Read the full report here.

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.95 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for nearly 52% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org. 733 10th St. NW, Suite 700 • Washington, DC 20001 • (202) 637-3000