Tesla factory cutting workforce, but staying open amid coronavirus shelter-in-place order

Tesla workers coming off the night shift as workers wait to board buses at the Fremont factory. Tesla workers coming off the night shift as workers wait to board buses at the Fremont factory. Photo: Russ Mitchell/TNS Photo: Russ Mitchell/TNS Image 1 of / 19 Caption Close Tesla factory cutting workforce, but staying open amid coronavirus shelter-in-place order 1 / 19 Back to Gallery

Tesla's main factory in Fremont has remained open despite an Alameda County shelter-in-place order exempting only "essential" businesses, but on Wednesday, county officials stated the factory will dramatically cut its workforce.

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office said that Tesla informed officials it will reduce its factory workforce from 10,000 to 2,500, and the plant will remain open with only essential staff present. Tesla has not responded to an SFGATE request for comment on the change, and it is unclear if these workers are on paid leave.

CEO Elon Musk has downplayed the threat of the coronaivirus in official communications in recent weeks, at one point tweeting, "the coronavirus panic is dumb."

In an email sent to SpaceX employees obtained by BuzzFeed News, Musk wrote that evidence "suggests that [coronavirus] is *not* within the top 100 health risks in the United States."

"As a basis for comparison, the risk of death from C19 is *vastly* less than the risk of death from driving your car home," Musk wrote over a week ago. "There are about 36 thousand automotive deaths per deaths [sic], as compared to 36 so far this year for C19."

There are now over 100 deaths due to coronavirus in the United States.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.

Eric Ting is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: eric.ting@sfgate.com | Twitter:@_ericting