Making your workplace COVID-19 safe

Our first box of COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits from the StaySafe™ Rapid Antigen Screening Program.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, workplaces worldwide have made changes to keep their employees, customers, and vendors safe. Employees who can work from home have found new ways to stay connected with their teams. Employers have made changes to offices and other workplaces to ensure physical distancing to reduce the risk for everyone.While cleaning regimens and physical distancing are excellent – there's always more that can be done to create a safer workplace.This week in our home of Waterloo Region, Ontario, our local chambers of commerce and tech hub Communitech launched a new program called the StaySafe™ Rapid Antigen Screening Program. The program makes rapid antigen testing for COVID-19 available to small businesses for free. Rapid antigen testing differs from the brain-tickler PCR test that we all know in a couple of ways. The main difference is that unlike PCR tests, you don’t need to have symptoms to take the rapid antigen test. The cost of the tests is also different – around $5 for the rapid antigen test compared to $50 for the PCR test. The lower-cost means communities and businesses can do mass testing, catching people with no symptoms who might accidentally spread the virus. When it comes to accuracy, the rapid antigen tests are 80% accurate compared to 90% with the PCR tests. While the accuracy is a little lower, the rapid antigen tests can be used for serialized testing of asymptomatic people – that’s consistent, repeat rapid screening at least two times per week. We have employees in the office packing and shipping employee recognition gifts, and we want to make sure our employees feel as safe as possible. With the StaySafe program launched, we ordered and picked up our kits this week and took the tests together – well, six feet apart.So how did it go? We asked our awesome Megan Hall, VP of Operations, what she thought of the process. "It was super easy to fill out the form. They responded in less than 24 hours with a time for me to pick up," said Hall. At the pickup location, Hall watched a short video on how to take the tests, and that was that. "That part was super easy," added Hall. Taking the tests is very straightforward – but Hall said the waiting part was stressful. "I've thought all along, I don't have any symptoms., I don't think I have COVID. But suddenly you have a test to actually tell you one way or the other. So that the time between taking it and waiting for the line to show up is very stressful."The test itself is very similar to a pregnancy test. "You don't pee on it, obviously, you simply put it in one nostril nose about an inch and swirl it around for five seconds, then do the same in the other nostril and wait for 15 minutes. "If one line shows up, you're good. If two lines show up, you're not good," Hall added.

Once the stress of waiting was over, there was a sense of relief as everyone's test came back negative. "It's just an added level of comfort," said Hall. "I didn't think I was sick, but this actually confirms I'm not and that feels good!"

Want to get test kits for your workplace? Visit https://staysafescreen.ca to sign up your business today. The StaySafe program is also operating a mobile clinic in a Grand River Transit bus where you can take a test right away. 

We love new ways of showing recognition to your employees, and ordering test kits is a great way to show appreciation!