Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) is a strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the respiratory illness responsible for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in January 2020 and a pandemic in early March 2020. Globally, COVID-19 has caused more than six million deaths, with almost one million deaths in the United States alone. The past 24 months of “pandemic life” have been at times challenging, frustrating, heartbreaking, and completely transformative.
Despite an overall feeling that we are returning in full to pre-pandemic life, it seems clear that COVID will next move to endemic–joining the ranks of other endemic respiratory viruses that rise annually in the colder fall and winter months and kill between 40,000 and 70,000 vulnerable citizens every year. Variants such as the recent Omicron and BA.2 spread rapidly, cause illness, and might require stringent public health mitigation measures. Although uncertain, the development of future variants could trigger further damaging business and lifestyle interruptions.
Regardless of mitigation mandates, businesses and organizations must consider steps necessary to protect workforce health and safety. The ongoing pandemic has brought about shifting priorities for the workforce, including a desire for employers who provide a safe working environment and consider employees’ overall wellbeing. When organizations demonstrate a commitment to health and wellness, business performance benefits, because employees can be more productive and feel a greater sense of connection and loyalty. As Richard Branson famously said, “Take care of your employees, and they’ll take care of your business.”
As we look ahead to the probability of future mutations, the rise of new viruses, and inevitable pandemics, establishing and implementing a robust COVID-19 testing infrastructure has become mission critical for organizations. Public health professionals routinely indicate that we can expect future public health crises that demand a well-thought-out organizational response. Whatever testing program you put in place must work for your organization – that means your plan must to be affordable, effective, flexible, and designed for quick deployment when needed.
One positive outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a worldwide commitment to the rapid development of new medical and technological tools. We have seen testing evolve from painful and painfully slow to rapid, accurate, and user friendly. Saliva-based testing done using the EviroTECH Ultra-Fast COVID-19 detection sensor is less invasive than nasopharyngeal swabbing, and it detects the COVID-19 spikes in protein at an earlier stage of infection. For your organization and many others, EviroTECH can help identify active infections as well as provide general screening, and that means smoother business operations overall.
Even if current and prospective vaccines prove to be highly effective, the need to test people for COVID-19 will continue, for at least five reasons (see Exhibit 1):
EviroTECH is the testing partner for both a large municipality and a Tier One research university. Our Ultra-Fast COVID-19 detection sensor has been evaluated and proven in the field. Our medical devices use electrochemical technology and biomedical engineering to provide innovative solutions for virus detection. This proven technology is not only fast and accurate, but also designed for longevity. Testing is easy and pain free. Ultra-fast testing is perfect for all types of business and organizations – schools, hospitals, universities, and other institutions with large communities. Our technology will enable you to keep up with the changing landscape of COVID-19 testing effectively and affordably. EviroTECH. Your purposeful testing partner today and for the tomorrows ahead.
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