Mazda will kick off a program on April 16 to give health-care workers free oil changes and enhanced cleanings at Mazda dealerships.

The dealerships will use enhanced cleaning techniques on high-touch surfaces, and the vehicles don't have to be Mazdas.

Health-care workers can find details about the initiative at Inside Mazda.

For health-care workers, the coronavirus pandemic can be an overwhelming experience. Concerns about running low on necessary devices to care for patients and protective gear shortages are more than just headlines' they're part of the job now. With all that in mind, things like changing the oil and or even keeping the car clean, become secondary, but they're still necessary. That’s where Mazda is stepping in to help. From April 16 through May 4, participating Mazda dealers will offer free oil changes and enhanced cleaning services for nearly all makes and models, not just Mazdas.

The Essential Car Care idea originated at a few Mazda dealerships, and the automaker decided to expand it nationwide. "Supporting the communities where we live and work is rooted deeply in Mazda’s 100-year history. We are honored to give back to those dedicated to saving lives during this pandemic," said Mazda North American Operations president Jeff Guyton in a statement.

On a personal level, this is extremely helpful and appreciated. My wife works in the health-care field, and we've gone to great lengths to reduce our chances of bringing COVID-19 into our home from the hospital. Her car (we call it the dirty car) is now only used for her commute to and from work. Our other vehicle (the clean car) is used for shopping and other errands. I routinely don gloves and a mask to clean the inside of her vehicle, hoping to kill anything that has been picked up from her place of work. But not every health-care worker has a second vehicle or even the time to wipe down their vehicles.

Mazda's free enhanced cleaning and oil changes could offer additional peace of mind to those health-care workers during something that's unprecedented and frankly exhaustingly stressful. It's one less thing to worry about. The Enhanced Car Care dealers will commit to careful vehicle cleaning of high-touch interior and exterior surfaces.

To protect its workers, Mazda says that it has encouraged dealers to "continue following the recommendations from the CDC and local public health and government officials, along with workplace personal hygiene practices to help ensure the safety of everyone in the service areas."

Health-care workers just have to show their employment ID badge or pay stub to be eligible for the service. Other details of the initiative can be found at Inside Mazda.

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