COVID-19 education: testing & resources
CHI can assist you in finding resources to help your company implement your COVID-19 testing program. Below are descriptions of the testing you may want to consider when testing your employees.
Temperature Screening
As employees return to work CHI is now offering temperature screening during the COVID-19 pandemic. Temperature screens are an early predictor of the COVID-19 virus and these health checks can help businesses determine the presence of an elevated temperature in an employee thus providing a layer of protection for your organization. Trained technicians arrive on site to perform the screenings using a non-touch, infrared thermometer.
Based on the results of the screening, the employee will either go to work or be sent home in accordance with company guidelines. The program is customized based on your population and companies’ operational needs.
COVID Testing
Access to Sars-CoV-2 testing is critical for employees returning to work. Developing an over-all testing strategy is key to protecting your workforce and allows employees to come back with some level of confidence that their work environment is safe. There are two approaches to testing that include testing for the actual presence of the virus through the use of nasal swabs or saliva tests, and a second antibody test that measure past exposure to the virus indicating that an individual has developed an immunity to it. Most results are available within 2-3 days and we also offer a rapid Nasal swab test for COVID-19 with results available in 5 minutes.
The following tests are currently available:
Nasal Swab Testing:
RT-PCR SARS-Cov-2 test are a quick and reliable. The test uses PCR technology and detects genetic information that indicates an active infection that the virus is present. The “long” nasal swab has been the current gold standard for COVID-19 diagnosis. The test takes approximately 5 minutes which means you can see 12 people per hour per nurse. Results are available within 72 hours. If participants test positive, a health professional will call them to review the results. The lab will report results to the appropriate public health agency in accordance with applicable requirements.
*SARS-Cov-2 RAPID testing (nasal swab with results in 15 minutes) This is also a nasal swab test which detects the presence of an active SARS-Cov-2 but the results are much quicker. The swab is put into a machine and result are available within 15 minutes. This test has been approved by the FDA with and EUA (Emergency Use Authorization) Based upon the 15 minute turnaround, 3 tests per hour, per administrator can be done. Results are reported to the employee. Positive results will also be communicated to the employer and the appropriate state health department for isolation and contact tracing.
SARS-Cov-2 saliva testing:
Another option for COVID-19 testing is a saliva based molecular test that uses the same technology as the RT-PCR Swab test. Initial research from Yale University shows that saliva tests are just as sensitive as NP swabs for detecting SARS-CoV-2 infections and they are minimally invasive unlike the nasal swabs. Each test takes approximately 4 minutes so 15 tests per hour can be done. Results are available online within 4 days Employees receive and email or text when their results are ready.
Antibody Testing:
Serology testing or coronavirus antibody testing, can check different types of antibodies developed after exposure to SARS-Cov-2 virus. The CRL Clear kit , which is a dried blood spot finger stick test, that is used to identify the presence or lack, of COVID-19 antibodies in the blood, which are produced by the body in response to the virus. These include:
IgA- first antibody to appear post exposure 2-3 days
IgM- Measures recent exposure 5-7 days
IgG- Long term measure
Each test takes approximately 4 minutes so we can do 15 tests per hour. Results are available within 72 hours. Participants will receive a text or email when results are ready. A positive test result means that the participant has been previously infected and has developed antibodies against COVID-19 that might provide the participant with immunity. The CRL Clear kit is based on the Roche Elecsys Anti-SACov-2 antibody test which has received the CE mark and US Food and Drug Administration Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).
SARS-Cov-2 IgG antibody Testing: This test is a simple blood draw that checks for IgG antibodies which are typically formed 14 days after infection and can persist months into years in order to provide long term immunity. Antibody testing can help identify people with past infections which gives you a clearer picture of who in your population. The IgG antibody test Enzo clinical labs and the reported sensitivity is 100% which means it is 100% accurate in measuring a positive result for people who have had COVID-19. Approximately 10 employees can be tested per hour and the test turn around time is 1-2 days. The results are reported directly to the employee and if the employee signs a consent form allowing the reporting of the results to the employer, reports will also go to the employer.