How to Identify, Mitigate and Manage COVID-19 in Your Workforce

March 27, 2020

With COVID-19 spreading rapidly across the nation and region, it is increasingly likely that coronavirus exposure will occur in your workforce. Here are a few ways you and your employees can prepare and respond in accordance with the best information available today.

  • Employee Screening Recommendations: VUMC, along with several other area employers, have started to implement temperature screening of employees to identify signs of possible COVID-19 infection before entering the workplace. If you are considering similar screening for your employees, please refer to these recommendations and FAQ.
  • Managing Exposed Employees: There is good guidance now available for how to support exposed employees and mitigate the risk to the rest of your workforce. We strongly encourage you to review the isolation guidelines for exposed employees as well as recommendations for employees who have been tested and are awaiting test results.
  • Protecting Pregnant Employees: There is limited data currently available regarding susceptibility of COVID-19 and the severity of infection in pregnant women. Vanderbilt Health has several recommendations for addressing concerns related to pregnant employees.
  • New Metro COVID-19 Hotline: The Metro Nashville Public Health Department recently launched a new COVID-19 information hotline: 615-862-7777. It’s staffed 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week with nurses and other public health professionals available to answer questions, provide the latest information about COVID-19, and assist Davidson County residents with the assessment process.
  • Designated VUMC COVID-19 Hotline: VUMC remains a regional leader for COVID-19 assessment and testing, running many of the assessment locations in the region. Please call the hotline if you're a VUMC patient experiencing COVID-19 symptoms—a new cough within the past 7 days and shortness of breath, with or without fever: (888) 312-0847. This line is available daily, 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Also, download the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 if you’re sick.”