LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In the latest renewal of COVID-19 mitigation efforts, employees at Ford assembly plants in Louisville will have to wear masks at work starting on Saturday.

Ford Motor Company operates two assembly plants in the Louisville Metro area: the Kentucky Truck Plant and the Louisville Assembly plant. Around 13,000 Kentuckians are employed between the two plants.

Representatives with Ford confirmed in an email to Spectrum News 1 that the face mask policy will apply to employees and visitors at both facilities in Kentucky.

"With a data-driven approach to our global COVID-19 protocols and the increase in cases in specific U.S. regions, Ford is reinstating face mask protocols in select states," said spokesperson Kelli Felker. "We will continue to evaluate COVID-19 case data to make further protocol changes."

The shift back to mask-wearing comes as Kentucky is seeing a surge in positive COVID-19 cases due to the spread of the highly-contagious delta variant.

Felker also said Ford is now requiring employees to be fully vaccinated prior to international business travel. While vaccines are not mandatory for all Ford employees, she said Ford "continues to strongly encourage all team members who are medically able to be vaccinated."