Abbott Labs closes COVID-19 test assembly plant, 2,000 workers released

GURNEE, Ill. - An estimated 2,000 workers who have been assembling rapid COVID-19 tests in the north suburbs are out of work, according to a report.

The Daily Herald says Abbott Labs is ending operations immediately at its 255,000-square-foot assembly plant at 605 Tri-State Parkway in Gurnee.

The workers had been manufacturing Abbott's BinaxNow tests for the last eight months, but were told on Tuesday they no longer needed to report to work, the paper said.

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The news coincided with the release of Abbott's financial outlook for the year, where company officials cited a significant drop in demand for the tests.

Abbott's BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag Card is a rapid, reliable and affordable tool for detecting active coronavirus infections at massive scale.

"This has been driven by several factors, including significant reductions in cases in the U.S. and other major developed countries, accelerated rollout of COVID-19 vaccines globally and, most recently, U.S. health authority guidance on testing for fully vaccinated individuals," the company said in a news release.

Abbott officials told the paper that workers will be paid out for this week.