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      Return ready: Supporting workforce health in the new normal

      Commentary

      The Editors

      The end of the coronavirus pandemic arrives when we have widespread immunity. A SARS-CoV-2 vaccine may not be approved before mid-to-late 2021. Once an effective vaccine is identified, scaling up production capacity to make it available for wide swathes of the population will take time.

      Even as we wait for an effective vaccine, or a treatment to cure the disease employers and employees have found ways to continue working in isolation, using various tools and technology to collaborate remotely. But for employers who rely on employees to physically be present at the workplace to maintain business continuity, there is a strong need to get back to the worksite now.

      Return Ready, a comprehensive, customizable COVID-19 testing solution for employers from CVS Health helps return employees to worksites and integrates COVID-19 testing for ongoing business continuity. With flexible technology options for on-site testing and/or drive-thru testing at CVS Pharmacy locations, organizations can design a customized testing strategy to meet their unique needs. Return Ready builds on CVS Health’s commitment to helping the country on its path forward by making COVID-19 testing available to consumers, the business community, universities and vulnerable populations impacted by the virus.

       

      Our customizable return to worksite solution will evolve and adapt to include the latest COVID-19 testing technology and clinical protocols to meet their specific population health management needs.
      Troy Brennan, M.D.
      Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, CVS Health

       

      At the core of the end-to-end solution is a customized COVID-19 testing strategy guided by clinical consultation that allows organizations to choose who, how, where and when to test employees. The solution also includes:

      • Clinician-informed protocols and guidance for symptom checking and temperature screenings
      • On-site licensed professionals for COVID-19 testing and support
      • Turnkey employee and student communications toolkit
      • Integrated reporting and analytics across testing locations
      • On-site immunization clinic with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-recommended vaccination services, such as the seasonal flu vaccine
      • Access to add-on solutions such as thermal scanners, digital symptom monitoring and contact tracing technology

      Return Ready is one more way that we’re increasing access to COVID-19 testing options whether in the local community at CVS Pharmacy locations or where people work.

       

      How Return Ready Testing Works

      Return Ready offers employers clinical consultation, end-to-end testing execution, integrated reporting, and additional health and safety solutions to help reduce COVID-19 transmission. The testing technology options include point-of-care testing with results in a few minutes or third-party lab processed testing with results in a few days. Employers can choose to offer testing on-site – and in a safe testing environment set up by CVS Health – or in the local community at one of the CVS Pharmacy drive-thru testing locations – which are anticipated to reach 1,400 sites by the end of the week. Employers with high-density locations that need rapid results may choose on-site, point-of-care testing overseen by licensed CVS Health professionals to receive immediate alerts of positive results for contact tracing. Others may prefer lab-processed tests, with results in a few days, conducted either on-site or at a nearby CVS Pharmacy testing location, which enables organizations to test a large number of individuals quickly and/or ensures convenience for those with a distributed workforce. Many employers may choose a combination of both testing options, and the testing protocols will vary based on their physical worksite environment and COVID-19 risk and exposure.

      Return Ready also includes an analytics dashboard for ongoing oversight and trends across worksite location(s), along with state and federal reporting of test results as required. The company’s testing protocols are informed by the latest technology and science, giving organizations the ability to continually access emerging testing solutions and protocols. Return Ready is available to U.S. employers, and CVS Health will implement the solution for its own employees. 

       

      Our Commitment to COVID-19 Testing

      Return Ready builds on CVS Health’s leadership in responding to the pandemic that began with its very first COVID-19 testing site in March. Now, through its extensive presence in communities across the country, and clinical, operational, and technological expertise, we are improving access to COVID-19 testing and helping people manage pandemic-related health challenges. This includes a focus on testing in underserved and vulnerable communities that have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, as well as solutions that increase testing for patients and staff in nursing homes and rehab facilities.

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