BARCELONA (Reuters). – Volkswagen (DE :)’s Spanish automaker SEAT recommends that unvaccinated as well as vaccinated workers sit in separate canteens at the plant, outside Barcelona. The move is to safeguard employees and maintain operational activity.

A spokesperson for SEAT told Reuters that the move to have a section specifically for those who haven’t had a COVID-19 vaccination has been in effect for over a month.

This initiative is the first to be implemented in Spain.

SEAT released a statement saying that it had been decided to establish areas in company canteens to safeguard unvaccinated workers “a few weeks back.” To protect workers’ health, the areas designated for non-vaccinated employees have to adhere to strict COVID guidelines.

They said that these are recommendations, and they could not make people eat separate.

Car manufacturer stated that the aim of the measures was to protect workers (vaccinated as well as those not vaccinated) and “guarantee operational activity” of the company.

Except for the canteen, all workers must wear masks. SEAT claimed that 96% percent of their workers had been vaccinated. They were administered the vaccines in-house.

Matias Carnero at SEAT, top union leader, stated, “This is in order to guarantee the healthy of those who have not been vaccinated as much as those who have.”

He claimed that of the 11,000 Martorell employees, five were eating separately.

Spain does not require vaccination. 79% have been fully vaccinated. Spain hasn’t seen large-scale antivaccination demonstrations like those in other European countries. Vaccination rates are increasing in accordance with government goals.

As Europe’s nations and businesses tighten vaccination policies in the wake of the arrival of winter, and an increasing number of COVID-19-related cases, this move will be a welcome one.

As they struggle with rising vaccination rates, some countries make it compulsory to immunize all or a portion of their population. Austria was one such country that announced Friday it will be making COVID-19 mandatory.