5 Ways COVID Testing For Companies Can Help Your Business

Even though the daily rates of COVID-19 are low, the vaccine continues to roll out, and over 50% of Americans have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, it’s more important than ever to stay vigilant and take steps to protect your business. Columbus COVID testing for companies can help keep your business’ doors open and your staff safe. Here’s how.

Keeps your staff and customers healthy

COVID-19 tests are designed to catch an active case of the virus, whether the person being tested has symptoms or not. 

Some companies rely on their staff to get tested on their own time. Self-reporting can be effective, but it can also cause more paperwork for you as you keep track of who has and hasn’t been tested.

Onsite testing makes this process streamlined and effortless. A team of nurses comes to your business, administers tests to all participating staff, and provides medical guidance if someone does test positive. Every test can be done on a single day and return same-day test results to make sure that your business is COVID-free.

Onsite tests can help business travelers meet airline requirements

If your company regularly sends employees on business trips, providing onsite tests can help them meet travel requirements. Onsite tests can also screen business travelers when they return to prevent them from accidentally bringing the virus back with them.

It’s important to review the latest travel advisories and COVID-19 rules to check whether or not the destination requires a negative test result.

Providing tests for your staff can protect you from lawsuits

Providing onsite testing, especially in conjunction with other business operational guidance as recommended by the CDC, can help prevent lawsuits.

Some states have taken measures to protect businesses from COVID-19 related lawsuits. In these states, businesses are protected as long as they can demonstrate proof that they are taking measures to comply with recommended public health and safety guidance to protect their employees.

Gives your customers confidence in doing business with you

Event planners, caterers, hotels, and other businesses that regularly see large groups of people may find that many potential customers want to strike a balance between their personal agendas and their safety.

Providing tests for your staff can give your customers the confidence that, in addition to other COVID-19 safety measures, you are doing everything in your power to keep them safe.

More convenient and effective than DIY tests

DIY tests for businesses are exactly what they sound like: self-test kits that you can purchase in bulk and distribute to your staff. This option may be affordable and convenient, but there are several drawbacks to consider.

• Availability and turnaround time: There is still limited distribution of rapid DIY tests, so most DIY test kits continue to be RT-PCR diagnostics that return results within 3 business days.
• Paperwork and local regulations: In order to use DIY kits for your staff you will need to research how to administer these tests in compliance with local rules and regulations, gather any paperwork necessary, and process the paperwork appropriately any time you want to do onsite tests for your business.
• The tests themselves: DIY tests need to be self-administered by each staff member, increasing the chance that a sample is collected incorrectly. In addition to this, you will be responsible for making sure that all tests have been collected, packaged, and shipped within the timeframe indicated by the test kit manufacturer for the most accurate answers.

Getting onsite tests with a medical service eliminates these hassles. Their staff takes care of all of the necessary paperwork and are trained to administer the tests correctly to ensure the most accurate test results possible.

What kinds of tests can you get?

There are several types of onsite COVID-19 tests that you can get for your business.

• RT-PCR: The gold standard of testing, this option is designed to detect the genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 for the most accurate results. Test results are typically available within 3 business days.

• Rapid PCR: This test uses similar technology to the standard RT-PCR test and also detects genetic material of COVID-19 for highly accurate results. This test can be processed onsite for results in an hour or less.
• Rapid antigen: Rapid antigen tests are designed to detect specific proteins that coat the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This test is very fast and can provide answers in 15 minutes or less. However, it is less accurate than the RT-PCR or rapid PCR with an estimated 1 in 5 chance of returning incorrect results.

After you’ve chosen a test, your medical service will set up a pop up testing site at your company, typically in a private room or office. They will administer the tests, process them onsite or send them to a lab (depending on which you choose), and provide medical guidance if someone does test positive.