Page 45 - OHS, June 2021

Workplace safety has always been a top priority for employers, but with concerns about COVID-19 on everyone’s minds, it is now more complicated than ever before.
proven to be an accurate specimen type for COVID-19 testing. An oral flfluid specimen is easy to collect as donors spit into a tube rather than submit to a nasal or throat swab. It also allows for greater distance between the health care worker and the donor. Because of the ease of the collection process, oral flfluid collections can be conducted at home or via a telehealth collection app.
COVID-19 Vaccines
There are currently three COVID-19 vaccines being used in the United States—Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson Janssen, though others are in various stages of development. They are very similar to one another though there are a few key differences.
Perhaps the most significant difference from a practical perspective is that Pfizer and Moderna are double-dose vaccines, whereas Johnson & Johnson is a single dose vaccine. Time will tell how effective these vaccines are at preventing people from becoming infected and spreading the virus to others, but preliminary indications are very positive. Another unanswered question is how long immunity will last and if booster shots will be needed to address variants of the coronavirus.
For those who are considering getting the vaccine and want to know which one is best, the CDC recommends getting whichever vaccine is available first in a donor’s area.
For employers, the number one question is whether they
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ruled that employers may not require antibody tests, but they are excellent for those who have had COVID-19 and want to know if they are still protected by natural immunity.
Nasopharyngeal is commonly considered the most intrusive and, by many people, painful collection method because the swab must be inserted straight back and deep into the nasal passage. Oral fluid is generally considered the most donor friendly and has
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JUNE 2021 | Occupational Health &5S/3a/2f1ety12:44 P4M1
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