What Happens When The Flu Meets COVID-19?
COVID-19 is a new virus to affect the human population, which means that we had no available treatments or immunity to the pathogen when it emerged in late 2019. Because of this, the virus was able to spread, unrestrained from host to host, and it did not take long for the outbreak to become a global pandemic. As we enter flu season, what are the possible outcomes when influenza coincides with COVID-19?
Learn more in the full document below.
PRIME Releases COVID-19 Screening App
PRIME Occupational Medicine has launched its new COVID-19 screening app, EMEmd.
Designed to protect businesses, employees and patrons, the app identifies high-risk individuals before they enter an establishment. PRIME created EMEmd to act as an efficient, convenient tool that provides the real-time results organizations currently need.
Users simply download the app for free, complete a medical questionnaire and receive an entry recommendation based on their results. Owners can then track and manage all data through the application. PRIME’s in-house development team originally developed an online screening platform in 2015, allowing them to quickly pivot to an enhanced app-based version in order to meet the new demands surrounding COVID-19.
Sean Connor, VP of Business Development at PRIME, says “We built this solution to enhance safety across the globe. We have clients using our platform in 19 countries so we felt it was critical to push our software forward and help these facilities fight against COVID-19 with an effective tool.”
PRIME is currently offering reduced pricing for government agencies, nonprofits and religious institutions. The app is available to download on the App Store and Google Play.
Learn more at EMEmd.com
5 Steps for Returning to Work After COVID-19
As your employees return to work, their onsite safety is still a critical concern. Our services are specifically tailored to helping your workforce remain safe and productive in the aftermath of COVID-19.
PRIME Partners with CCJV to Deliver N95 Masks to Communities
In recent weeks, PRIME Occupational Medicine has partnered with Chiyoda International and McDermott to donate thousands of N95 masks to various communities and workforces across Louisiana.
As COVID-19 spread throughout the state, countless public service organizations faced a shortage of the equipment needed to safely perform their duties. When Chiyoda and McDermott, both part of the CCJV joint venture project team, discovered they had pallets of unused N95 masks at a jobsite, they knew this would be a great opportunity to give back in a time of need.
“On behalf of the CCJV joint venture project team of McDermott and Chiyoda, it is our honor to support the local medical community with this donation of N95 masks,” says Andy Dadosky, Vice President and Project Director for CCJV. “Our healthcare professionals are on the frontlines caring for our community during this unprecedented health crisis. This is one small way we can help.”
With PRIME Occupational Medicine as the duo’s medical provider, they tasked the company with finding groups across the state that could greatly benefit from the N95s. PRIME immediately reached out and delivered to hospitals, law enforcement departments, prisons, blood donation centers and a variety of other businesses across southern Louisiana and eastern Texas.
The Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association, Louisiana State Police, Woman’s Hospital, CHRISTUS Health, Ochsner, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Baton Rouge General, Louisiana National Guard and several other government agencies were among the many state entities that received donations. PRIME Occupational Medicine was happy to match the N95 mask donation by contributing various other personal protective equipment items.
“Our goal is to ensure that people are protected and can continue to work in this atmosphere. Our mission is to protect the health and safety of all workforces, and we are happy to assist McDermott and Chiyoda in this trying time,” says Dr. Luke Lee, Corporate Medical Director of Prime Occupational Medicine.
Employer Guidelines for Returning to Work
Given the community risk of COVID-19, we recommend that all employers adopt a return to work (RTW) screening process, that likely are more stringent than previous policies. This recommendation is IN ADDITION to the employer’s normal RTW policies.
A Letter From Dr. Lee
The past several weeks have been difficult for us all. The news is dominated by the novel coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, and is rapidly changing, which has affected us all in one way or another. In times like these, it is critical to keep a balanced perspective and consider all facts. Adversity is not new to people. History tells us the human response always rises to the challenges faced, and we are confident that this time will be no different.
While nobody knows exactly what the coming days, weeks or months will bring, we can prepare for various scenarios. During uncertain times we often see an uptick in bad actors trying to exploit an individual’s anxiety, or even generosity. Whenever you make any judgment, it’s important to consider the source of the data that you receive. We wanted to personally reach out and let you know that Prime’s physician leadership team has taken this extremely seriously and is meeting everyday to improve our responses in a timely manner.
We are closely monitoring the guidance of the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the spread of the virus. Our focus is to ensure we meet our customers, the employer-clients as well as their employees, needs while doing our part to keep you, Prime staff, and our communities safe.
Many of you are managers of your enterprise. Your family and your employee’s health, welfare and safety are of paramount importance to you. We have developed detailed guidelines related to how we would recommend that you and your family protect yourself. Since the situation is rapidly changing, please send an email to covid19@primeoccmed.com for a current copy of the “Employee Guide.”
From a business resiliency perspective, we advise you to have comprehensive plans in place to ensure that your employees remain safe. Prime is doing our utmost to achieve the same goals while remaining ready and able to serve you with the best of professional services, without disruption. As you may already know, OSHA has stated that it is the employer’s responsibility to protect their employees from contracting COVID-19 from the workplace by classifying COVID-19 as a “recordable” disease. We have also developed an “Employer Guide” to COVID-19. Again, you can send an email to covid19@primeoccmed.com to receive a current copy of the guide.
If you happen to visit a Prime facility, you may notice some changes are evident. Our facilities that are located in areas of widespread community spread are already screening all persons entering the facility, including Prime employees. The remainder of our facilities will implement the same process as the situation dictates. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause but we feel it is the appropriate step to take in protecting not only our employees but yours as well.
Additionally, we encourage you to visit our website at PRIMEOCCMED.COM for current responses to protect you and our staff.
Above all, we want you to know that you can continue to rely on the global resources and stability of Prime and our international partner, International SOS. We stand with you, ready to help, offer advice and share our best thinking on how to manage through this period.
Thank you for your continued trust and confidence in us.
Luke Lee, MD, MPH, CIME
Preparing for COVID-19
The past several weeks have been difficult for us all. The news is dominated by the novel coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, and is rapidly changing, which has affected us all in one way or another. In times like these, it is critical to keep a balanced perspective and consider all facts. Adversity is not new to people. History tells us the human response always rises to the challenges faced, and we are confident that this time will be no different.
While nobody knows exactly what the coming days, weeks or months will bring, we can prepare for various scenarios. During uncertain times we often see an uptick in bad actors trying to exploit an individual’s anxiety, or even generosity. Whenever you make any judgment, it’s important to consider the source of the data that you receive. We wanted to personally reach out and let you know that Prime’s physician leadership team has taken this extremely seriously and is meeting everyday to improve our responses in a timely manner.
We are closely monitoring the guidance of the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the spread of the virus. Our focus is to ensure we meet our customers, the employer-clients as well as their employees, needs while doing our part to keep you, Prime staff, and our communities safe.
Many of you are managers of your enterprise. Your family and your employee’s health, welfare and safety are of paramount importance to you. We have developed detailed guidelines related to how we would recommend that you and your family protect yourself. Since the situation is rapidly changing, please send an email to covid19@primeoccmed.com for a current copy of the “Employee Guide.”
From a business resiliency perspective, we advise you to have comprehensive plans in place to ensure that your employees remain safe. Prime is doing our utmost to achieve the same goals while remaining ready and able to serve you with the best of professional services, without disruption. As you may already know, OSHA has stated that it is the employer’s responsibility to protect their employees from contracting COVID-19 from the workplace by classifying COVID-19 as a “recordable” disease. We have also developed an “Employer Guide” to COVID-19. Again, you can send an email to covid19@primeoccmed.com to receive a current copy of the guide.
If you happen to visit a Prime facility, you may notice some changes are evident. Our facilities that are located in areas of widespread community spread are already screening all persons entering the facility, including Prime employees. The remainder of our facilities will implement the same process as the situation dictates. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause but we feel it is the appropriate step to take in protecting not only our employees but yours as well.
Additionally, we encourage you to visit our website at PRIMEOCCMED.COM for current responses to protect you and our staff .
Above all, we want you to know that you can continue to rely on the global resources and stability of Prime and our international partner, International SOS. We stand with you, ready to help, offer advice and share our best thinking on how to manage through this period.
Thank you for your continued trust and confidence in us.