We recently discussed how to minimize the spread of the highly contagious Delta Variant in the workplace with Rapid Antigen Testing. As more businesses return employees to the workplace, whether it be to manufacturing facilities or commercial office spaces, it remains critical to keep everyone safe and healthy.  Absenteeism driven by the need to quarantine both COVID positive employees, as well as the general workforce with whom they closely interacted significantly impacts productivity.

As the highly contagious delta variant spreads across the United States, a surprising number of vaccinated Americans are testing positive for COVID-19. The promise of a “return to normal” has hit an unexpected roadblock with the growing risk of these breakthrough infections. According to an early new study, individuals infected with the delta variant may carry more than a thousand times more virus particles, testing positive up to two days earlier than those infected with the original SARS-CoV-2.

When President Biden set a bold goal of re-opening schools in his first 100 days in office, public health experts quickly pointed out that regular COVID testing would have to be an integral part of the plan. While a questionnaire and temperature scan may have been provided peace of mind and screened some potential cases in 2020, more stringent measures are needed for student and teacher populations. Enter Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT).

As we move through this global pandemic, many of the buildings that we routinely entered pre-pandemic are now partially occupied or remain vacant. Buildings such as schools, churches, restaurants, and commercial office spaces have been significantly impacted by state and local restrictions aimed at mitigating COVID-19 transmission.

During 2020, the most effective method of screening employees who were potential carriers of SARS-CoV2 was the administration of a CDC recommended questionnaire, coupled with a temperature scan from a non-contact thermometer. The COVID questionnaire was utilized to identify those workers who were experiencing COVID symptoms or those employees who had potential contact with individuals who were COVID carriers.

During 2020, occupational screening to identify potential COVID-19 carriers was limited to monitoring employee body temperature in conjunction with administration of a questionnaire aimed at identifying employees who exhibited coronavirus symptoms (headache, loss taste/smell, sore throat, cough or gastrointestinal issues) or workers who had close contact with a potential coronavirus carrier.

Like almost everyone else with whom I come into contact (six feet between, of course), I have grown exhausted of COVID-19 and the constraints it places on how I live and work. My role as an EHS professional is already demanding, regardless of world health conditions, and the latest recommendations from the CDC only add to my never-ending list of daily considerations and responsibilities.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to alter most aspects of business operations, questions surrounding the best options for employee training persist. Does it make more sense to complete training online or are classes with in-person trainers preferred when offered safely?

Maintaining continuity of technicians who perform screening is one of the most important aspects for the effective identification of coronavirus carriers. Developing rapport with employees during COVID-19 screening, especially when administering the COVID-19 screening questionnaire, is imperative. Having consistent personnel perform COVID-19 screening day after day creates an environment of trust.

Adequate planning for an occupational screening process is key for an efficient and effective operation to identify potential coronavirus carriers BEFORE they enter the workspace. Will the screening operation be staffed using the existing workforce or by engaging a third party? If staffed internally, do these “in-house” employees have sufficient training in PPE and bloodborne pathogen control? What types of PPE will be used?

Testing wastewater for the presence of pathogens as a surveillance tool has been used by for many years (Poliovirus and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as an example). This public health tool is now being utilized during the current pandemic to detect SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) by analyzing wastewater samples from public and private wastewater systems for non-infective RNA fragments of the virus.

EI’s next two blog entries will focus on the major points garnered from our field experience during screening of 120,000 employees to identify potential COVID-19 carriers as they reported to work at numerous manufacturing/pharma/biopharma facilities over the past 6 months. During the COVID-19 screening process, in order to minimize potential COVID-19 transmission in the workplace, EI employed the New Rochelle Incident Command model for coronavirus testing, where employee body temperature and a standardized COVID-19 questionnaire was administered from their vehicles as employees arrived to work.

There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic deserves the attention and resources it continues to receive in the American workplace. Numerous EHS managers who built their careers on anticipating the unexpected wonder how they failed to see this crisis coming. As businesses look for any light at the end of the tunnel, health and safety professionals vow to learn from this coronavirus experience and use its distinct lessons to prepare EHS programs for the future.

EI continues to closely monitor the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and provide our clients and the general public with current, relevant guidance based on our experience with Occupational Health, Industrial Hygiene, Safety Compliance and Engineering services performed during the pandemic. We have documented our progress, shared our learnings, and offered our insight for managing/minimizing exposures through our blog, which launched on January 27, 2020.

The COVID-19 virus has forced us to change our way of living…and working. While many employers are slowly beginning to resume business, it is not business as usual. Consider your emergency action plan (EAP) for example. While setting up barriers, teaching about social distancing and providing masks for your workers, did you remember to address, and update if necessary, your EAP?