Tyson Foods hires chief medical officer to focus on COVID-19

Tyson Foods Inc. has hired a chief medical officer to oversee employee health, safety and wellness following lawsuits and criticism over COVID-19 outbreaks among workers at some of the Springdale, Arkansas-based meatpacking company’s plants.

Dr. Claudia Coplein, who most recently served as chief medical officer for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., will focus on protecting Tyson’s workers from COVID-19 and also oversee the launch of a pilot program establishing workplace health clinics run by Marathon Health LLC in seven of Tyson’s plant communities, the company announced in a statement Thursday.

Dr. Coplein is based in Atlanta.

More insurance and workers compensation news on the coronavirus crisis here.