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Keely Knopp

Proposed Covid-19 Vaccine and Testing Mandates for Businesses

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From the Mercy Occupational Medicine October eNewsletter

It’s likely you have heard about the Biden Administration’s proposed COVID-19 vaccine mandate for Federal employees and private companies that employ more than 100 workers. The proposed mandate requires unvaccinated employees to submit a weekly negative COVID-19 test to be eligible to report to work. The administration’s plan, announced on September 9, 2021, is expected to affect more than 80 million workers nationwide.

On October 12, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) submitted the ruling to the White House for final approval. In the coming days, OHSA will be issuing guidance on those mandates to employers via an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS).

Here is what we know at this time:

  • President Biden directed OSHA to issue a mandate for businesses with 100 or more employees requiring their workers to either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing.
  • OSHA’s mandate will take the form of an ETS—a binding rule that OSHA may enact to protect workers against a “grave danger” in the workplace.
  • The ETS will have the force of law, take immediate effect, and last for six months, unless superseded by a permanent regulation.
  • The ETS will likely have only two exceptions: (1) a religious exemption for sincerely held religious beliefs (social and political beliefs do not qualify); and (2) medical contraindications. These exceptions will likely only apply to the vaccine mandate and not the weekly testing mandate. It remains unclear what exceptions, if any, will be made for individuals who work remotely.
  • Employers that don’t comply with the vaccine mandate or ETS requirements may face fines of up to $14,000 per violation.
  • Lawsuits are expected from state governments and large employers.

Currently, it remains unclear how the 100-employee count will be measured and who would be responsible to pay for the weekly COVID-19 tests. In the event OSHA requires the employer to cover the initial cost, it is unknown if subsequent costs can be passed onto the unvaccinated employee.

Whatever the final language of the ETS ends up being, it is advisable for larger employers—at or close to the 100-employee threshold—to begin planning for these types of binding regulations from OSHA and formulating actionable strategies to handle vaccination mandates and testing requirements for their employees.

Mercy Urgent Care is here to help local businesses with the testing requirements when those regulations become effective. If you would like to discuss COVID-19 testing for your business, please contact Mercy Occupational Medicine.

Flu Shots: What’s New for the 2021-2022 Season

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From the Mercy Occupational Medicine October eNewsletter

With much of the news focused on the recent resurgence in Covid-19 cases, it is easy to forget about other viruses such as influenza. The flu is likely to be as prevalent this season as it has been in the past, and paired with the threat of COVID-19, it is especially important to protect yourself and your employees with a seasonal flu vaccine.

However, there are some recent changes to the flu vaccine for the 2021-2022 flu season that people should be aware of before receiving the shot.

  • The composition of flu vaccines has been updated. There are many different strands of the influenza virus and they are constantly mutating. The composition of the flu vaccine is reviewed annually and updated as needed to match circulating flu viruses.
  • All flu vaccines will be quadrivalent. Seasonal flu vaccines are designed to protect against the influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season. All flu vaccines in the United States are “quadrivalent” vaccines, which means they protect against four different flu viruses: an influenza A(H1N1) virus, an influenza A(H3N2) virus, and two influenza B viruses.
  • Flu vaccines and COVID-19 vaccines can be given at the same time. Even though both vaccines can be given at the same visit, people should follow the recommended schedule for either vaccine. The CDC recommends getting a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you can, and, ideally, a flu vaccine by the end of October.
  • Recommended recipients of flu vaccination. The CDC recommends everyone over 6 months old receive the flu vaccine every year with few exceptions. Vaccination is particularly important for people who are at higher risk of developing serious flu complications.

Mercy Urgent Care can help support your employees with flu vaccinations for your workforce. To learn about onsite flu vaccination clinics for your business, contact Mercy Occupational Medicine.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

October is Eye Safety Month

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From the Mercy Occupational Medicine October eNewsletter

Each year, thousands of people are blinded by workplace-related injuries that could be prevented with the proper use of eye and face protection. Though October is Home Eye Safety month, it is also a good time for a refresher on eye safety in the workplace.

Whenever necessary, eye and face protection must be provided to employees to protect against chemical, environmental, radiological or mechanical irritants and hazards. Here are a few things employers can do to help prevent an eye injury in the workplace:

  • Eliminate hazards by using machine guards, work screens or other engineering controls.
  • Regularly inspect workplace conditions for hazards.
  • Provide training for when and how to wear safety eyewear.
  • Provide eyewash stations, especially in areas where chemicals exist.
  • Require employees to wear appropriate safety eyewear, even if they are just passing through a potentially hazardous area.
  • Keep safety eye wear in good condition and replace when necessary.

Hazard Assessment
Workers wearing protective eyewear may still suffer injuries, so it is a good idea to regularly inspect workplace conditions and make adjustments as necessary. Workers in environments with the following hazards should always wear appropriate safety eye wear to avoid potential injury:

  • Dust, concrete, metal and other particles
  • Chemicals such as acids, bases, fuels, solvents, lime and wet or dry cement powder
  • Falling or shifting debris, building materials and glass
  • Smoke and noxious or poisonous gases
  • Welding light and electrical arcs
  • Thermal hazards and fires
  • Bloodborne pathogens (hepatitis or HIV) from blood, body fluids and human remains

There are many different types of eye safety wear—safety glasses, face shields, full respirators, etc.—but basic safety goggles should be the minimum requirement in any situation where a worker may encounter a workplace hazard. A little can go a long way to protect your workers—and yourself—from a job-related eye injury.

Source: OSHA, NIOSH

Pfizer FDA Approval/ Booster shots

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From the September Mercy Occupational Medicine eNewsletter

On Aug. 23, Pfizer BioNTech became the first company to receive full FDA approval for its COVID-19 vaccine. Commenting on this approval, acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D., said, “While this and other vaccines have met the FDA’s rigorous scientific standards for emergency use authorization, as the first FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, the public can be very confident that this vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product.” She continued, “While millions of people have already safely received COVID-19 vaccines, we recognize that for some, the FDA approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated. Today’s milestone puts us one step closer to altering the course of this pandemic in the U.S.”

As full FDA approval comes for the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, the recent surge in COVID-19 cases poses questions about the need for booster vaccinations. While the FDA is not currently recommending booster vaccinations for all vaccinated individuals, they have recommended additional booster doses for certain groups. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced plans to offer booster doses later this fall.

Who needs an additional COVID-19 vaccine?
Currently, the CDC is recommending that moderately to severely immunocompromised people receive an additional vaccine dose to help boost immune response. This includes people who have:

  • Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood.
  • Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system.
  • Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system.
  • Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome).
  • Advanced or untreated HIV infection.
  • Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response.

Talk to your health care provider about any potential medical conditions that may apply to determine whether getting an additional booster dose is appropriate for you.

Ask how Mercy Urgent Care and Occupational Medicine can support your employees with COVID-19 vaccinations, testing or other workplace services.

Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

The 411 on Breakthrough COVID-19 Cases

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From the September Mercy Occupational Medicine eNewsletter

With the recent surge in COVID-19 cases — and specific concern over breakthrough cases involving fully vaccinated individuals, employers may have questions regarding what can be done to help keep their employees as safe as possible at work.

What exactly is a “breakthrough” COVID-19 infection?
When a fully vaccinated person tests positive for COVID-19, it is referred to as a “breakthrough infection.” To be considered a breakthrough case, the infection must occur more than 14 days after all recommended doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been administered. While symptomatic infections are the primary concern, asymptomatic infections can occur as well.

Breakthrough cases are normal and expected
COVID-19 vaccines are very effective at preventing infection, serious illness, and death, and unvaccinated people account for the vast majority of current COVID-19 cases. However, since no vaccine is 100% effective at preventing infection, some fully vaccinated people will still get COVID-19. Some may even have severe reactions. That said, the vaccines significantly reduce the likelihood of hospitalization and death in the rare event a breakthrough case does occur. The best way to prevent infection and slow the spread of COVID-19 is to get vaccinated.

Delta and other variants
COVID-19’s delta variant is more contagious than previous mutations of the virus. However, studies indicate that the vaccines authorized in the U.S. work well against the delta variant, particularly in preventing severe disease and hospitalization. Of course, with more infections overall due to higher transmissibility, there will also be more breakthrough infections — but the risk of infection, hospitalization, and death are all much lower in vaccinated people compared to the unvaccinated.

What can employers do to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 in their workforce?

  • Encourage employees to become vaccinated. Vaccines are safe, effective and work well at preventing severe disease.
  • Arrange work areas to allow for physical distancing, if possible.
  • If employees cannot physically distance or work in high-traffic areas, encourage the use of masks even for those who are fully vaccinated.
  • Employees who have been in contact with infected persons or who develop symptoms should be tested and limit their exposure to others.
  • Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, regardless of vaccination status.
  • Regularly clean and disinfect commonly touched work surfaces.
  • Continue to encourage thorough and frequent hand-washing.
  • Remind employees to monitor their well-being daily and watch for changes in health, such as an unusual feeling of fatigue or shortness of breath, developing a fever or cough, and loss of taste or smell.

Employers are encouraged to be vigilant in their efforts to keep COVID-19 at bay. Mercy Urgent Care and Occupational Medicine can help support workplace efforts to reduce COVID-19 exposure with vaccination programs, testing, and workplace evaluations. Please contact Jeff Howell at jhowell@mercyurgentcare.org for a consultation or to set up workplace services.

Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention

September: Self-Care Awareness Month

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From the September Mercy Occupational Medicine eNewsletter

As we roll into September, join us in celebrating national Self-Care Awareness Month, and set aside some time to reflect on your needs, listen to your body and take care of yourself, both at home and at work. We all often tend to put the needs of others before our own, but that can have a detrimental effect on our own well-being. Promoting self-care to your employees not only fosters a sense of well-being that leads to a happier, healthier workforce, but it can also affect bottom line performance in your business. Below, we’ve shared some tips for encouraging self-care and building an atmosphere of general well-being in your workforce.

Most of us deal with stress on a daily basis. From regular stress at work to family, school, and the lingering COVID-19 pandemic, wellness can often seem elusive — but, as each additional stressor piles on, practicing self-care is more important than ever. So what can you do, as an employer, to foster a sense of well-being at work? Consider these tips:

  • Remind your staff about employee assistance programs, and ensure they have access to resources, referrals, and counseling, if offered.
  • Hold exercise challenges (e.g., steps challenges, exercise minute challenges) to help get employees moving throughout the day.
  • Find and share stress management and mental health resources on a regular basis.
  • Build in physical activity breaks during the workday.
  • Consider holding company-wide health fairs and screenings for things like blood glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.
  • Recognize staff achievements and contributions to the company, and celebrate milestones with workers.

Employers who support their employees with a robust wellness program often see significant benefits, with improvements in productivity, quality of service to customers, workplace morale, and recruiting and retention.

If you are interested in starting an employee wellness program for your company, Mercy Occupational Medicine can help by providing information on wellness initiatives and conducting onsite wellness and health fair programs. To learn more about these services, visit mercyurgentcare.org/for-employers/wellness-program-request-form/ or contact Jeff Howell at jhowell@mercyurgentcare.org.

Source: Occupational Safety and Health Administration