How COVID-19 Testing Is Integral To Business Reopenings

We can collectively breathe a sigh of relief as the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines has begun. Can we start to hope that perhaps the end is in sight regarding the global coronavirus pandemic? Whether this is true or not, it’s still vital that testing continues to curb the coronavirus’s spread.

This post looks at how COVID-19 testing can play a vital role in reopening businesses, and other best practices companies should employ when resuming their day-to-day operations.

Monitoring Health

Businesses must create a plan to monitor the health of their employees. They can do this with:

• Rapid on-site testing of employees. These on-site tests can be done before staff return, at regular intervals throughout their time at work, and on-demand based on symptoms, exposure, and other risk factors
• Regular screenings of employees’ temperatures and overall health
• An order to stay at home when feeling unwell or if exposed to the virus
• An isolation zone for workers feeling ill at work, giving them the care they need while on the premises
• Facemasks and other protective gear to help stop the potential spread of the virus

Testing is Still Essential

The reasons we should continue to perform on-site testing and screen employees as operations start back up is because:

• Those vaccinated could still be exposed to the virus
• The extent to which the vaccine will prevent asymptomatic disease is still unknown
• New variants of the coronavirus will continue to form over time, and the vaccine may not fully protect against these

Staggering the Return

Staggering employees’ return to work aims to reduce the number of employees on-site at any given time. You can do this by:

• Alternating shifts and workdays for employees to return on
• Keeping staff at home who are not expressly needed at the office

Office Restructuring

Many things can be done around the office to allow for social distancing, and new disinfection and cleaning protocols should be adopted, such as:

• Space out desks and seating areas appropriately
• Hold meetings outdoors where possible or via online platforms
• Close the lunchrooms or stagger the time employees can access them
• Clean all high-touch surfaces throughout the day
• Set up sanitizing stations where appropriate
• Increase regularity of deep cleaning efforts
• Put up signage as a reminder to sanitize and wash hands as often as possible

Is On-site Testing the Way Forward?

There have been many reports in the news recently of what other businesses are doing to encourage employees and customers to return to work and their regular pursuits. We have seen news of what companies are doing to include a high level of safety as they start to reopen, from resorts and restaurants to cruise ships and schools; on-site testing is being offered to instill confidence as things get up and running again.

And so we can see that testing will continue to play a critical role in controlling the coronavirus, especially for businesses. It’s a way to ensure your staff and customers are safe. That’s why our team at Path-Tec is here to provide high-quality COVID-19 test kits for businesses all over.

Path-Tec: A Specimen Test Kit and Management Company

If you’d like to find out more about Path-Tec and how we, as a specimen management company, can help with coronavirus testing kits and supplies, you can find out more about us on our website. Let us help you with your company’s safe return to operations.

Are you looking for a more fulfilling job that can really make a difference? Path-Tec is growing quickly and, as a result, we have a wide range of jobs in Columbus, GA to fill. On top of being a great place to work, Path-Tec has many employee benefits that include performance bonuses and ample career advancement opportunities. If you’d like to learn about each role and the jobs in Columbus, GA we have available, visit our Career Page.