Many small-business owners across the country are testing their workers to catch potential coronavirus outbreaks before they start, eager to keep their companies afloat as the U.S. economy and regions of the country reopen in varying stages, the Wall Street Journal reported. Small businesses, which typically have fewer financial reserves than large firms, are grappling with the logistics, costs and privacy implications of testing workers. “There’s been a rubber band of stress around my head since March,” said Sara Polon, the owner of Washington, D.C.-based Soupergirl, who began testing workers three weeks ago. A doctor reports to her storefront and commercial kitchen each week, swabbing the back of employees’ noses or throats one-by-one. Polon isn’t sure how long insurance companies will continue to help offset the cost of testing but says she feels she is making life-or-death safety decisions that ripple through the families of her workers. While the federal government made funds available to small businesses through Paycheck Protection Program loans, most of those funds had to be used for specific purposes like payroll so they would be forgiven. That has meant testing and other safety precautions are an added financial burden at an already difficult time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn’t dictate whether and how frequently employers should test workers for the virus, but it has published considerations for critical businesses like food processors that implement testing strategies. The CDC says such testing should only be implemented if it leads to actions like quarantining sick people and taking a risk-based approach to testing those who may have been exposed.
The agency advises businesses of all sizes to conduct daily health checks, implement social distancing practices and encourage employees to wear face masks.
