NPR

U.S. Automakers Are Slowly Rolling Toward A Restart

U.S. auto plants are gradually starting to reopen. New safety measures, from social distancing to face shields, are being put into place, while some workers are anxious about the risk of an outbreak.
A worker wearing protective gear checks an automobile assembly line worker's temperature at the entrance to a Toyota plant in Onnaing, France, on April 21. U.S. auto plants are preparing to reopen with new coronavirus safety protocols.

Cars didn't change much between March and May. But the factories where they're assembled are shifting dramatically.

Auto plants are starting back up — much more slowly than they shut down — with new extensive health precautions meant to prevent the spread of the coronavirus:

Plastic sheeting and clear shields installed on assembly lines. Mandatory temperature checks and symptom questionnaires. Solitary chairs in break rooms. Cycles of sanitizing, again and

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