OMAHA, Neb. — Tyson Foods says it is planning to open medical clinics at several of its U.S. plants to improve the health of its workers and better protect them from the coronavirus.

The Springdale, Ark.-based company, which processes about 20% of all beef, pork and chicken in the U.S., says its plan to open the clinics was in the works before the coronavirus struck this year, but that they will undoubtedly help the company respond to the pandemic.

Tyson joins a long list of companies that have clinics on or near their worksites.

At least 17,700 meatpacking workers in the U.S. have been infected or exposed to the coronavirus and 115 have died, the United Food and Commercial Workers said.

This summer, the families of three Tyson workers in Iowa who died from COVID-19 sued the company, saying it knowingly put employees at risk in the early days of the pandemic.