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Key Points
Updated: June 04, 2020
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As an increasing number of people are re-engaging with one another and engaging actively within the public sphere as stay-a-home orders are relaxed, preventive measures are still paramount to mitigate the potential of COVID-19 spread. Risk mitigation and preventive measures include social distancing, increasing hand hygiene practices (washing hands, using >60% hand sanitizer), and wearing masks.
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In instances where social distancing (keeping 6 feet) from others is not possible (or is difficult to maintain), wearing a mask and increasing hand hygiene practices, practicing good respiratory hygiene (e.g. covering one’s mouth when sneezing or coughing) are still protective for oneself and others.
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A new article in Science, “Reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2” stresses that, “Masks and testing are necessary to combat asymptomatic spread in aerosols and droplets”.
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Research indicates that asymptomatic individuals (“silent shedders”) are critical drivers of the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
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Universal mask usage would result in the least amount of exposure.
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“Aerosol transmission of viruses must be acknowledged as a key factor leading to the spread of infectious respiratory diseases. Evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 is silently spreading in aerosols exhaled by highly contagious infected individuals with no symptoms."
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Recommendations for
the Food Industry
COVID-19 Asymptomatic Worker Testing and Protection.
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With COVID-19 tests becoming more available, some of TAG’s clients have begun to implement voluntary COVID-19 testing of their employees, and others are still in the process of considering the rationale and implications of employee testing. While the decision for implementing testing will be company-specific based on your situation and environment, the following are some things to consider:
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Some companies conducting voluntary testing are finding that approximately 50% of asymptomatic workers test positive.
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If you decide to embark on any testing, be sure you (a) understand all the aspects of the test used; (b) have a plan for what you will do with the results.
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Whether or not you decide to test, the percentage of asymptomatic workers testing positive supports TAG’s recommendations to continue all employee protections, including wellness screening, six-foot distancing, enhanced sanitation and disinfection, and masks.
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New research is showing that a large proportion of the virus spread appears to be occurring through airborne transmission of aerosols produced by asymptomatic individuals.
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Additionally, not only can aerosols be easily inhaled deep into the lungs, they can accumulate and remain infectious in indoor air for hours.
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CDC has now more specifically defined close contacts as being any individual within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes of infected individuals from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated - regardless of whether masks were worn. (More on this in tomorrow’s newsletter.)
Thus, all businesses should continue to follow the hierarchy of controls (wellness screening, six-foot distancing, enhanced sanitation and disinfection, and masks - Details available in the TAG COVID-19 Toolkit; click here for access if you don’t have the Toolkit), particularly as workers may be more subject to close contact with infected persons from businesses opening and the warmer weather bringing more people out of their homes. The current situation has led to more concentrated numbers of grouping in many areas.
For a more specific discussion and recommendations on your particular situation, risks, and solutions, give TAG’s public health experts a call today.
Outbreak Updates
As of June 04, 2020 (13:16 ET), there are over 6,563,000 cases (>387,000 deaths) worldwide.
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Due to the increasing number of cases in the United States, TAG will move from reporting counts per country to focus on the United States, please see here for the data. For further information regarding worldwide numbers, please refer to John Hopkin University’s aggregate map.
Keep up to date with COVID-19:
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Please send us any questions, comments, and/or concerns! We are happy to talk with you.
OR call us at 1-800-401-2239
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