As more businesses are allowed to re-open, public health officials now recommend that front-line employees – especially restaurant, bar and grocery workers, delivery drivers, and construction crews – be tested periodically for the novel coronavirus, even if they have no symptoms.
Review the revised Public Health Order for Santa Clara County to see if your business is allowed to reopen.
Testing is now available free of charge and no insurance or medical approval is required. More than 30 testing sites are now open across Santa Clara County. Check the testing site map for more details and to make an appointment in advance, which is required. The Santa Clara County Order asks employers to provide all employees with the information on testing locations, and encourage employees back at work to be tested monthly.
Monthly testing helps monitor workers’ health and prevents the spread of COVID-19. This applies to all workers in any “front line” or healthcare workplace, that requires who has regular interaction with members of the public, and where social distancing isn’t possible. Note, all open businesses to have to follow social distancing prototcols.
This may include workers in the following situations:
- Restaurants, cafes, bars and other foodservice locations
- Healthcare, group homes, homeless shelters, jails and other communal living settings;
- Food banks
- Public safety/emergency response
- Grocery sales, pharmacy/drug store
- Construction
- Delivery
- Janitorial
- Transit
- Social work
According to the County, this does not include those who are able to maintain social distancing while at work, such as essential workers who work in a back office.
And very important -- any person who works in a skilled nursing facility should ideally get tested every two weeks!
