In aletter to its members, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says businesses have to figure out who's responsible for administering COVID-19 tests, who is responsible for paying for them and who will check the results. Companies also need to decide when to test employees and how often.
One Greater Cincinnati company offering to keep track of employee health isCordatain Sycamore Township. Among its HIPAA-compliant tools are:
- Assess - monitor employees who have COVID-19 symptoms
- Trace - identify cases for comprehensive follow-up
- Educate - engage employees in automated wellness initiatives
- Return - establish plans for returning to work and keep employees safe
Procter & Gamble says it is considering testing based on availability and guidance. It's already doing temperature scans.
GE Aviation says it was an early adopter of temperature checks for all employees and visitors, a practice it implemented in Cincinnati March 23 and expanded globally.
Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb recommends aggressive testing. He described in the Wall Street Journalrapid diagnostics manufactured by companies like GeneXpert, which uses a small sample of saliva to test. Gottlieb says businesses that can't easily bring testing to the work site can partner with companies developing home collection tests or contract with pharmacies.
