For employers, testing workers for COVID-19 is easier said than done

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For employers, testing workers for COVID-19 is easier said than done

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-tests-offices-return-work/#app

BY MEGAN CERULLO
UPDATED ON: OCTOBER 14, 2020 / 12:31 PM / MONEYWATCH

The public debate over whether U.S. employers should reopen for business even as the coronavirus continues to rage has tended to obscure another thorny issue: With COVID-19 showing few signs of letting up, regular testing of millions of workers is becoming an enormous task. Screening is complex, costly and, by the way, no guarantee against potentially lethal outbreaks. Experts said there's more at stake for workers and their employers than just spitting in a tube.

"There are different reasons for testing — either you have someone who has symptoms, or you're conducting asymptomatic screening or surveillance to find positive cases in the workplace before they start to spread," said Megan Ranney, an emergency physician at the Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. "But even with negative tests, you still need to wear a mask and social distance. Tests aren't meant to take the place of other measures."

Part of the challenge for companies is simply figuring out what kind of test is most suitable to their needs, with each approach having pros and cons.

Doctors have long used PCR tests, which are seen as generally reliable, while antigen tests deliver rapid results. But neither technique is certain to catch every positive case, according to experts. Molecular tests are the most accurate, but can take time to deliver results.

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