May 24, 2020
To the TWU Local 591 Membership:
I want to start by wishing, on behalf of the Local 591 Executive Board, a happy AMT Day to our Local’s AMTs. May 24th is a day set aside to celebrate the proud profession of the Aircraft Maintenance Technician. For too long, our proud profession has not been recognized for our efforts, skill and
Memorial Day is about remembering and honoring every single man and woman who has died for our freedoms -- men and women who were mommies and daddies, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, patriots, incredible Americans and really, really great friends.
You want to honor and celebrate patriotism and the military this Memorial Day.
Attention TWU and IAM M&R and MLS members:
Due to the continuing challenges of the pandemic, integrated seniority list issues, Avionics clarifications, and other outstanding related challenges, the Association M&R and MLS Representation Committee and American Airlines have, by mutual agreement, agreed to delay the scheduled May 2020 re-bid for the AMT, GSE/FAC and the MLS Classifications.
May 13, 2020
TWU/IAM SYSTEM SENIORITY PROTEST
As required by the recently ratified Association CBAs, American Airlines has posted the updated seniority lists for all classifications. That posting can be found on JetNet at https://people.aa.com/sm/reports/twuiam_seniority/.
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The Transport Workers Union Endorses Joe Biden for President
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As transportation workers continue to suffer through the ongoing pandemic, we are all reminded of the importance of strong, pro-worker leadership at every level.
April 29, 2020
Dear Member of Congress:
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The undersigned 202 worker rights, public health, and consumer advocacy organizations urge Congress to pass the COVID-19 Every Worker Protection Act of 2020.
U.S. Department of Labor Issues Alert on Social Distancing To Keep Employees Safe at Work During the Coronavirus Pandemic
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued an alert listing steps employers can follow to implement social distancing in the workplace and to help protect workers from exposure to the coronavirus.
Safety measures employers can implement include:
Isolate any worker who begins to exhibit symptoms until they can either go home or leave to seek medical care;
Establish flexible worksites (e.g., telecommuting) and flexible work hours (e.g., staggered shifts), if feasible;
Stagger breaks and re-arrange seating in common break areas to maintain physical distance between workers;
In workplaces where customers are present, mark six-foot distances with floor tape in areas where lines form, use drive-through windows or curbside pickup, and limit the number of customers allowed at one time;
Move or reposition workstations to create more distance, and install plexiglass partitions; and
Encourage workers to bring any safety and health concerns to the employer’s attention.
The new alert is available for download in English and Spanish.
The alert is the latest effort by OSHA to educate and protect America’s workers and employers during the coronavirus pandemic. OSHA has also published Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, a document aimed at helping workers and employers learn about ways to protect themselves and their workplaces during the ongoing pandemic.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.
Release Number: 20-1006-NAT
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5/26/20
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Interim Guidelines for COVID-19 Antibody Testing
Interim Guidelines for COVID-19 Antibody Testing in Clinical and Public Health Settings:
Sharing this information regarding CARES2 federal stimulus proposal:
The new stimulus bill dropped today with MANY of the provisions of the Essential Worker Bill of Rights, so I wanted to share some highlights below as well as a preview of next steps that are now taking shape.
1. Big "thank you" for engaging your members in driving thousands of calls, emails, and tweets to Congress for the Day of Action last Thursday.
2. PLS Save the Date! The next Digital "Day of Action" to build pressure to support the EWBOR will be Thursday May 21st!
3. EWBOR in the stimulus?I've pasted below some analysis from Sasha Bruce at the Fight Back Table who's tracking exactly what's in the stimulus and the way forward.
Within the 1,852 page CARES2 proposal by the Democratic House today, are provisions for Essential Workers that are there in no small part because of your organizing and allyship. While this sprint for passage of these provisions for essential workers has just begun, there is no doubt that the inclusions for Essential Workers in the House proposal should be celebrated. They are closer to being properly compensated, protected and valued for the critical roles they are playing in this historic crisis.
Seepress statement hereput out by AFT, Bend the Arc, Care In Action, CPD, Demos, Greenpeace, Indivisible, MoveOn, SEIU, United We Dream and WFP.
Here are some big wins for Essential Workers we ask for and got:
·A broad and inclusive definition of an essential worker:
oNote this sentence in the 93 page bill summary (attached): “Any other worker who cannot telework and who the State or local government deems to be essential during the COVID19 pandemic”
·Hazard pay
·Heath care through COBRA subsidies.
·Paid sick leave
·Child care support (block grant increased to $12.15 billion in 2020 with 850 million held for essential workers with no access to child care).
·Inclusive of immigrants (The legislation would remove the CARES1 requirement of a SSN, meaning immigrants who file returns with a taxpayer identification number (or TIN) could get money.)
·OSHA Protections: Requiring them to issue an emergency temp standard to protect Essential Workers at occupational risk of covid-19 exposure.
·Provides access to PPE for first responders and essential workers
·Collective bargaining protections
There are other measures in CARES2 that many more workers and families, including Essential Workers, will benefit from including:
·Critical election reforms (vote by mail funding and funding for USPS)
·10K in federal student debt cancellation, which would leave an estimated 16 million borrowers completely debt free, and suspends student loan payments to Sept 2021 giving borrowers a chance to recover.
At the same time, progressive leaders said they will continue to advocate for additional relief that fully meets the economic and health needs of all people regardless of immigration status, keeps workers on payrolls, provides recurring cash relief payments, ensures childcare needs are met, delivers enough state and local aid to avoid cuts to essential services, provides dedicated aid to public schools, closes loopholes that allow for corrupt exploitation by corporations, and provides relief from rent and mortgage payments.
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:May 11, 2020
: This message includes updates on the COVID-19 response from CDC. The COVID-19 Outbreak is a rapidly evolving situation and information will be updated on the COVID-19 Situation Summary as it becomes availa
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Please read..
A Guide to Employee Temperature Checks
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) gave employers the green light to take employees' temperatures to try and ward off the spread of the coronavirus in guidance updated March 18. But will taking temperatures really work?
"Generally, measuring an employee's body temperature is a medical examination," the EEOC stated. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits medical examinations unless they are job-related and consistent with business necessity.
Because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local health authorities have acknowledged community spread of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus, and have issued related precautions, "employers may measure employees' body temperature. However, employers should be aware that some people with COVID-19 do not have a fever," the agency stated. And some people with a fever do not have COVID-19.
In a National Employment Law Institute (NELI) webcast on March 12, David Fram, NELI's director of ADA services in Golden, Colo., noted that if influenza is widespread in a community, temperature taking might be job-related and consistent with business necessity and therefore allowed.
But, he said, "be super careful about taking temperatures, in part because what does it really tell you? Plenty have contagion who do not have a [high] temperature."
Jeff Nowak, an attorney with Littler in Chicago, added that if employers want to take workers' temperatures, they should pay employees sent home for high temperatures to limit any legal risk, if they can afford to do so.
Employers also should consider what they'd do if employees refuse to have their temperatures taken. Would employers send these workers home without pay?
The temperature reading should be kept confidential, Nowak said, and the person administering the temperature check should be trained on the procedure. He expressed skepticism that a lawsuit would result from taking workers' temperatures.
"If it saves one life, it's worth it," he said.
But ensure that there is social distancing and keep people at least six feet apart when they are standing in line to have their temperatures measured. Bear in mind that taking temperatures may not be nearly as effective at preventing the spread of the coronavirus as sheltering in place, where possible.
Christine Walters, J.D., SHRM-SCP, an independent consultant with FiveL Co. in Westminster, Md., cautioned employers against using oral thermometers, which are more invasive than infrared digital thermometers.
Jonathan Segal, an attorney with Duane Morris in Philadelphia and New York City, said there may be an obligation to pay employees for time spent waiting to have their temperatures checked.
Who Should Take Temperatures?
Ideally, employers would have a willing volunteer who takes others' temperatures, said Isaac Mamaysky, an attorney with Potomac Law Group in New York City.
With proper training, personal protective equipment, a no-touch thermometer and an understanding of confidentiality considerations, a nonmedical professional can take temperatures and help keep the workplace safe, he said.
"It's simply not practical or realistic to expect a medical professional to be available to every employer, especially in the midst of a pandemic in which professionals are in such high demand," Mamaysky said.
"Of course, if a company has an onsite nurse or EMT who can take temperatures, that's ideal," he added. "However, if that's not possible, employers can provide personal protective equipment and training so a nonmedical professional can safely take temperatures. For many employers, that's the only realistic option."
Ask the Right Questions
While the EEOC's guidance is clear, Christine Berger, an attorney in New Orleans, noted that it was silent on an important issue: how to take an employee's temperature. "It is not as simple as ordering an infrared thermometer off Amazon," she said.
"Before lining up your employees to scan their foreheads," she cautioned, "consider the safety, privacy and employee relations concerns."
Berger recommended considering the following questions:
How will an employer select an employee to administer the infrared scan?
How will that employee be protected from the virus?
How will the privacy of employees subjected to the infrared scan be protected?
How will this action affect employee morale?
Protective Clothing
Once an employer has identified who will administer the scan, the employer should provide the administrator with protective clothing, Berger said. Protective clothing may include gloves, masks, eyewear and a gown, she noted.
"These precautions are essential for both employer and employee protection and will appear less extreme in the event an employe's temperature reads in excess of 100 degrees," she said.
Employers should advise the administrator to read the thermometer's instructions and be available to answer any questions. Before beginning, the administrator should perform a test run on himself or herself to ensure he or she doesn't have a fever, Berger recommended.
Privacy
While logistics may dictate taking an employees' temperature upon arrival at work, Berger said, privacy concerns suggest otherwise. She explained: "Employers should avoid employees lining up and waiting for their temperature to be taken." Instead, the administrator should take an employee's temperature as privately as possible and keep the identity of any employees with fevers confidential, she said.
But in April 8 guidance, the U.S. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) said, "Employers should measure the employee's temperature and assess symptoms prior to them starting work. Ideally, temperature checks should happen before the individual enters the facility."
Are Temperature Checks a Good Idea?
"Temperature checks are widely used as a public screen measure at international airports and in parts of Asia," said Joseph Deng, an attorney with Baker McKenzie in Los Angeles. "Temperature checks are an imperfect measure, however, and should be just one of a variety of tools that a company can use to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace."
He noted that other measures include asking employees and visitors if they are exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g., fever, coughing, shortness of breath) or if they have any other high-risk factors as described by the CDC. Such factors include spending time in close quarters with a person with COVID-19 or having traveled to a high-risk area, as defined by the CDC, in the past 14 days.
Other employers may choose for employees to take their own temperatures before coming to work and require them not to come in if they have a fever.
Is Asking About Symptoms Permitted?
During a pandemic, ADA-covered employers may ask employees who call in sick if they are experiencing symptoms of the pandemic virus, the EEOC said in its guidance. For COVID-19, these include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath and sore throat. Employers must maintain all information about employee illness as a confidential medical record in compliance with the ADA.
Fram asserted that the coronavirus arguably is not a disability covered by the ADA but other respiratory conditions that last longer are. So while asking about coronavirus symptoms is permitted, don't ask about symptoms of other conditions, he cautioned.
Options Other Than Doctor's Notes
When an employee returns to work, under the ADA employers can require a doctor's note certifying his or her fitness for duty, the EEOC said.
Such inquiries are permitted under the ADA either because they would not be disability-related or, in the case of a severe pandemic, because they would be justified under the ADA standards for disability-related inquiries of employees, the EEOC stated. As a practical matter, however, doctors and other health care professionals may be too busy during and immediately after a pandemic outbreak to provide fitness-for-duty documentation.
So, new approaches may be necessary, such as reliance on local clinics to provide a form, a stamp or an e-mail certifying that an individual does not have the pandemic virus, the EEOC stated.
"That's all well and good if someone can actually get tested," Fram said in an interview with SHRM Online. "Right now, that's a challenge." So, until more tests for coronavirus are available, if an employer can't get such alternative documentation, it will have to consider how much risk it's willing to take if the employee can't prove he or she is free of the virus, he said.
Other Guidance
The EEOC guidance also provided that:
An employer may take an applicant's temperature as part of a post-offer, pre-employment medical examination.
An employer may screen applicants for symptoms of COVID-19 after making a conditional job offer.
An employer may delay the start date of an applicant who has COVID-19 or symptoms associated with it.
An employer may withdraw a job offer when it needs the applicant to start immediately but the individual has COVID-19 or symptoms of it. Based on current CDC guidance, the individual cannot safely enter the workplace, and therefore the employer may withdraw the job offer, the EEOC explained.
Note: As information is rapidly changing, it’s important to check with each individual state workers compensation program to get the latest information.
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John Howard. M.D. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Safety Council Webinar 30 April 2020 attached:
This guidance is intended for all Americans, whether you own a business, run a school, or want to ensure the cleanliness and safety of your home. Reopening America requires all of us to move forward together by practicing social distancing and other daily habits to reduce our risk of exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19.
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Today, in honor of Workers Memorial Day, National COSH is releasing a COVID-19 Essential Worker Fatality Database, which includes over 200 workers who have lost their lives to COVID-19 while caring for our families and providing us with our essential needs.
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The COVID-19 Every Worker Protection Act of 2020 H.R. 6559
Across the country, U.S. workers are suffering preventable illness and death because they do not have basic safety protections from COVID-19. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) – the only federal agency with the authority to immediately require employers to enact proper safety measures to protect their workers – is failing to take meaningful action.
While workers continue to be exposed to a deadly and highly transmissible virus, OSHA has no enforceable standard to protect workers from COVID-19 and is refusing to take emergency action to make workplaces safer.
The Problem: Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued guidance to protect workers, the guidance is not binding. The Department of Labor is refusing to establish an enforceable safety standard to protect workers from COVID-19.
According to the CDC, more than 16,000 U.S. health care workers have been infected with COVID-19. Outbreaks have been reported at a wide range of workplaces across the country, including one meat processing plant where more than 500 workers were infected with the virus.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act gives OSHA the authority to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) if employees are exposed to grave danger from new hazards. However, despite repeated calls from Committee Democrats to issue an ETS, the Agency has made no effort to establish enforceable safety standards to protect workers from COVID-19.
The Solution: The COVID–19 Every Worker Protection Act of 2020 (H.R. 6559) would require OSHA to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard, based on CDC guidance, to protect all workers from exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace.
The COVID–19 Every Worker Protection Act of 2020:
• Requires OSHA to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard within seven days that covers all workers and requires all workplaces to implement infectious disease exposure control plans to keep workers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- OSHA would be required to issue a permanent comprehensive infectious disease standard within two years.
• Requires OSHA to forbid employers from retaliating against workers for reporting infection control problems to their employer, any public authority, to the media or on a social media platform.
- The standard would also forbid employers from retaliating against workers for using their own higher level personal protective equipment if the employer does not provide it.
• Protects public employees across the country by requiring the 24 states where public employees are not currently covered by OSHA to adopt the ETS within 14 days of enactment;
• Gives OSHA the discretion not to issue citations to hospitals and other covered employers due to shortages of equipment, if:
- The employer can show that they are making a good-faith effort to purchase personal protective equipment and come into compliance, and
- The employer is implementing alternative methods to protect its employees.
• Requires CDC and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to track and investigate workrelated COVID-19 infections and make recommendations on needed actions or guidance to protect such employees.
COVID-19 Should be Classified as an Occupational Disease
The ITUC and its Global Unions partnersare calling for COVID-19 to be classified as an occupational disease, to ensure stronger workplace protections and access to compensation as well as to medical care. The call is being made today [28 April], on the International Workers’ Memorial Day.
“While there are many aspects of the SARS-CoV-2 virus which are yet unclear, one thing that is clear is that most transmission is occurring in workplaces such as hospitals and care facilities, as well as in workplaces where transmission can occur between workers with the public. There is already evidence that in numerous countries, protective workplace measures such as distancing and personal equipment are insufficient or even absent. Workers are being made to take risks that shouldn’t be taken, and in some cases such as in Amazon warehouses, face sanctions or dismissal for raising safety concerns.
“Bringing COVID-19 into occupational disease classification is crucial to stopping this and reducing the spread of the virus. This is becoming even more urgent as countries begin to relax restrictions on economic sectors and public spaces,” said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.
Occupational disease classification would mean that where workers are infected with the virus, the presumption would be that is was workplace-related unless conclusive evidence is presented to the contrary. It would also reinforce public health measures which are in place and which will evolve in the coming months and years.
“We are also calling for occupational health and safety to be given the status of a fundamental right at the International Labour Organisation. This is a long-overdue measure which would give workers’ protection from death and disease the same priority as freedom of association, collective bargaining and protection from discrimination, forced labour and child labour,” said Burrow.
: A SAFO contains important safety information and may include recommended action. SAFO content should be especially valuable to air carriers in meeting their statutory duty to provide service with the highest possible degree of safety in the public interest. Besides the specific action recommended in a SAFO, an alternative action may be as effective in addressing the safety issue named in the SAFO.
Subject: COVID-19: Updated Interim Occupational Health and Safety Guidance for Air Carriers and Crews.
:National Letter to CDC Director Robert Redfield and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci
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We, the undersigned, are writing to demand that the Centers for Disease Control retract its “Interim Guidance for Implementing Safety Practices for Critical Infrastructure Workers Who May have Had Exposure to a Person with Suspected of Confirmed COVID-19”, issued on April 8.
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The guidance advises that “…critical infrastructure workers may be permitted to continue work following potential exposure to COVID-19, provided they remain asymptomatic and additional precautions are implemented to protect them and the community.” The CDC list of critical infrastructure workers includes janitors, housekeeping workers, workers in food and agriculture, critical manufacturing, information technology, transportation, energy, and government facilities.
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The guidance makes the unfounded assumption that employers have the ability and will to systematically monitor and establish contagion prevention measures. Yet, there are currently no federal mandates for any employer to provide protection to workers: OSHA has decided not to conduct enforcement related to COVID-19 hazards in the workplace.
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Permitting exposed workers to be in close contact with others contradicts the CDC’s overall guidance, requiring that anyone exposed to an individual with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 self-quarantine for 14 days. The guidance threatens the health and safety of essential workers and the public, especially blue collar workers, and it undermines national and state efforts to flatten the COVID-19 curve. The significant risk of transmission from asymptomatic and presymptomatic individuals is well established. Workers in food processing, agriculture, janitorial, and many other critical industries are disproportionately workers of color, who are underpaid and already at increased risk of serious complications if they become infected with coronavirus. Recent news reports document the disproportionate incidence of COVID-19 in communities and populations of color, largely due to inequality in income, wealth, health services, and internet and information access. The CDC guidance will deepen the health inequalities that are being worsened by COVID-19.
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What’s needed instead are critical safety and health protections, guaranteed paid sick leave for all workers in these sectors, a presumption that infection occurred at work so that the workers are eligible for workers ’compensation protections and benefits, and epidemiological surveillance of workplace incidence of COVID-19 infection.
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We demand that the CDC retract this guidance and establish priority measures that protect the economy by protecting workers rather than corporations. We cannot risk creating a new surge of infections in an effort that clearly is aimed to present the illusion that the pandemic is over and everything is back to normal. It is not. In fact, we need to strengthen protections for all essential workers immediately to protect both workers and the general public.
See Link & Attachment for full letter and signatures
Health and Safety Protections and How to Make Them Happen
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This guide was compiled by the MassCOSH Health Tech Committee, a committee of occupational health and safety experts, and is updated regularly to reflect the most recent information available in the field.
Last updated on: 4/8/20
This reference material lists Massachusetts, Massachusetts DLS, Massachusetts DOH, Boston Health Commission, and MassCOSH. Where Massachusetts or the respective departments are listed, please follow your own state and local guidance for more detailed information. Where OSHA or CDC is referenced, that is referencing the Federal OSHA and CDC that is to be followed nationwide.
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WHO says looking into reports of some COVID patients testing positive again
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued new guidelines for essential workers, such as those in the health care and food supply industries The guidance is focused on when those workers can return to work after having been exposed to the new coronavirus.
— Do take your temperature before work.
— Do wear a face mask at all times.
— Do practice social distancing as work duties permit.
— Don't stay at work if you become sick
— Don't share headsets or objects used near face.
— Don't congregate in the break room or other crowded places.
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The CDC also issued guidance for employers in essential industries.
— Do take employees' temperature and assess for symptoms prior to their starting work.
— Do increase the frequency of cleaning commonly touched surfaces.
— Do increase air exchange in the building.
— Do send sick workers home immediately.
— Do test the use of face masks to ensure they don't interfere with workflow.
Call your doctor: If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider for medical advice.
It typically only takes a few viral particles to enter your body to trigger an infection. But if the initial invasion is triggered by a larger number of viruses, the infection can also be more severe.
We don’t yet know just how much the initial viral load (also called the infectious dose) matters for COVID-19, or whether more severe cases manifest themselves through a larger viral load inside the body.
However, there are already a few studies on this issue, and researchers are starting to suspect that this parameter might play a more important role than was initially suspected.
“In general with respiratory viruses, the outcome of infection – whether you get severely ill or only get a mild cold – can sometimes be determined by how much virus actually got into your body and started the infection off. It’s all about the size of the armies on each side of the battle, a very large virus army is difficult for our immune systems army to fight off,” says Professor Wendy Barclay, Head of Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London.
It’s not a novel concept. For influenza, a higher infectious dose has been associated with worse symptoms. However, the influenza studies were carried out by exposing volunteers to escalating doses of the virus, in a carefully monitored and controlled setting. This is very unlikely to happen with COVID-19, considering its severity, so we will have to look for evidence in other studies.
Animals infected with higher doses of SARS and MERS (two coronaviruses which also triggered severe outbreaks) also experienced worse outcomes. Of course, this is no guarantee that the same would happen in humans, or even that the same would happen with the novel coronavirus. However, it is a strong indication that that might be the case — and this is what most epidemiologists seem to be thinking at the moment.
“On the basis of previous work on SARS and MERS coronaviruses, we know that exposure to higher doses are associated with a worse outcome and this may be likely in the case of Covid-19 as well,” says Professor Willem van Schaik, Professor in Microbiology and Infection at the University of Birmingham.
This would also help explain why some healthcare workers seem to exhibit more severe infections than average — it’s not just that they are risking infection, but they are probably getting a larger infection dose.
“The amount of virus we are exposed to at the start of an infection is referred to as the ‘infectious dose’. For influenza, we know that that initial exposure to more virus – or a higher infectious dose – appears to increase the chance of infection and illness. Studies in mice have also shown that repeated exposure to low doses may be just as infectious as a single high dose,” adds Dr. Edward Parker, Research Fellow in Systems Biology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine,
Reducing the frequency and intensity of exposure to SARs-CoV-2 might reduce the infectious dose and result in less severe cases — this is what we should be doing anyway to reduce the risk of transmission.
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The infected viral load
The discussion about viral load sometimes gets murky as the two viral loads get confused — the initial viral load (the infectious dose) and the viral load taken from bodily samples of infected patients. When someone says, for instance, that “a higher viral load can be associated with more severe cases” they could, reasonably, mean both (and there is a case to be made for both), but they are not the same.
Viral load refers to the number of viral particles that an individual is carrying (and shedding into the environment). Essentially, the more a virus has multiplied inside the body, the higher the viral load is.
Intuitively, it might seem that the higher the viral load, the more severe the case would be, but this is not always so. The severity of an infection is governed by a number of bio-physical parameters. So what do we know about viral load and COVID-19?
When someone is tested for COVID-19, a swab is taken from their nose and throat. In addition to carrying a simple yes/no diagnostic, some tests can also analyze the viral load — how much virus is on the swab.
The initial studies coming out of China and Italy seem to indicate that viral load is not a factor in severity. Doctors at the Guangzhou Eighth People’s Hospital in China took throat swabs from 94 COVID-19 patients on the day people became ill and repeated the sample when 14 days later. They found no obvious difference in viral load between milder cases and more severe ones.
But there is a catch, and a big one at that. Not only were those studies preliminary and carried on small sample sizes, but they were also not peer-reviewed yet. The Italian study, in particular, makes no claims about a lack of correlation between viral load and case severity, it merely reports a large variation in patients’ viral load. The paper from China makes a solid, but not a compelling case for a lack of correlation.
Meanwhile, two peer-reviewed papers published in The Lancet (one of the most high-profile medical journals) suggest that there is a correlation between viral load and case severity. It’s still far from providing a clear and unequivocal answer, but the weight of evidence seems to lean heavier here, as peer-reviewed science is still the gold standard for scientific evidence, and these studies are generally regarded with far more trust.
This debate might be highly consequential. For one, doctors detecting patients with a higher viral load could pay extra attention to these patients, as they might be more likely to develop a severe case. But in addition, this could also help explain why testing negative for COVID-19 might not necessarily mean you don’t have the disease: if the viral load is small enough and not captured on the swab, the virus can simply escape detection. Even if a case is mild or asymptomatic it can still pass the virus on.
These are just a few of the complex aspects of COVID-19 that researchers are working frantically to uncover in this period.
It’s not surprising that the evidence is not always clear, and sometimes even conflicting, but with every published study, we get one step closer to understanding this disease — and one step closer to defeating it.
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In a few weeks, everything has changed – and nothing has changed.
Whatever jurisdiction you work in, the law still applies. While the wording of laws and regulations vary around the world, in general employers are required to protect the health and safety of their employees. This includes providing information, education, training, and the correct equipment to do the job safely. In addition, new specific laws or regulations may have been enacted to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak. Make sure that your workplace is in compliance with all applicable legal requirements.
Within the workplace, internal systems must be in place.
Workers demand the right to know as accurately as possible what the risks are, and how they will be controlled. We insist on the right to participate in the decision-making on what controls will be implemented – it’s our lives. That means Joint Health and Safety Committees and trade union safety representatives must be fully involved in the design, implementation, and monitoring of all measures taken. Finally, we will assert our right to refuse to perform unhealthy or unsafe work if we have reason to believe that the controls are inadequate.
Employers have the responsibility to ensure safe and healthy workplaces. Employees have the responsibility to carefully follow and implement any controls put in place.
What is Novel Coronavirus?
What the world is now commonly referring to as new, or novel, coronavirus disease is technically known as COVID-19 and is caused by a newly emerged virus called SARS-CoV-2.
It is a frightening development: a virus to which no-one has existing immunity. It is sweeping the world, and measures are in place to slow the infection rate so that health care systems are not overwhelmed.
Yet at the same time it is an infectious disease like many others; and the prevention of infections by it follow principles that have been known for a long time.
The World Health Organization, in its leaflet “Getting your Workplace Ready for COVID-19” (19 March 2020) has this to say about COVID-19:
How COVID-19 spreads
When someone who has COVID-19 coughs or exhales they release droplets of infected fluid. Most of these droplets fall on nearby surfaces and objects, such as desks, tables or telephones. People could catch COVID-19 by touching contaminated surfaces or objects, and then touching their eyes, nose, or mouth. If they are standing within 1 meter of a person with COVID-19 they can catch it by breathing in droplets coughed out or exhaled by them. In other words, COVID-19 spreads in a similar way to flu. Most persons infected with COVID-19 experience mild symptoms and recover. However, some experience more serious illness and may require hospital care. Risk of serious illness rises with age: people over 40 seem to be more vulnerable than those under 40. People with weakened immune systems and people with conditions such as diabetes, heart and lung disease are also more vulnerable to serious illness.
What are the symptoms?
Knowing the symptoms is important to identify whether you, or a co-worker, may be at risk or a risk to others. The most indicative symptoms of COVID-19 infection are fever and a new, continuous, dry cough.
These are the symptoms most frequently noted by those who are infected.
88% of cases Fever
68% of cases Dry cough
38% of cases Fatigue
33% of cases Sputum Production
19% of cases Shortness of Breath
15% of cases Muscle or joint pain
Other symptoms reported at lower frequencies include sore throat, headache, chills, nausea or vomiting, nasal congestion, diarrhea, haemoptysis (coughing up blood or bloody sputum), and conjunctival congestion (sore, watery eyes).
Most people recover from COVID-19 infection without complications. A percentage, however, can experience severe acute respiratory syndrome and/or pneumonia. Such serious conditions can sometimes progress to organ failure and death. The risk of serious complications seems to increase with age.
What to do if you experience symptoms
If you notice symptoms while at home, stay home.
If you first experience symptoms while at work, inform your employer (who to inform should be made clear) and go home. While awaiting transportation home keep distant from other people – at least 2 meters.
Call your doctor. Follow the latest advice on self-isolation, including all people living with you. If your symptoms are worsening seek medical advice at once.
If possible, employers should ensure access to testing for COVID-19 at no cost to workers when exposure is suspected. Note that at the time of writing, test kits are in short supply, but their availability is expected to increase.
What should the response to the COVID-19 in workplaces be?
As is the case with any workplace hazard, Joint Health and Safety Committees and safety representatives should make sure that appropriate workplace policies, programmes and procedures are in place. These policies, programmes and procedures must be agreed upon jointly. The decisions must not be left solely to employers.
Any policies, programmes and procedures only work when they are followed. A protocol to effectively monitor their implementation should also be jointly agreed upon.
Identify the hazard
Hazard identification and risk assessment should be done jointly – the only people with the moral authority to assess a risk are those who face the risks.
* The early focus has been on persons who have been travelling or exposed to infected individuals or any large groups of people as potential carriers. However most areas of the world are now in a situation where local or community transmission is occurring. Therefore it is no longer the case that the only danger is exposure to someone who has been travelling.
* The virus can be transmitted before symptoms appear. Nevertheless everyone should be aware of the symptoms, for their own sake as well as others. See the detailed list of symptoms, above.
Control the risk
The principles of personal and industrial hygiene remain the same for COVID-19 as for other biohazards. Eliminate or completely isolate the hazard as a first choice; minimize the risk by eliminating, so far as possible, opportunities for transmission of the virus; and finally provide effective personal protective equipment.
Since it is impossible to eliminate or completely isolate the hazard in this case, since any person in the workplace – whether worker, contractor, customer or visitor – may be a carrier, then minimizing the risk means implementing the following strategies.
Specific measures
Personal hygiene
Frequent and thorough hand-washing with plenty of soap and water, and easily available hand sanitizing stations at strategic locations and throughout the workplace
Posters explaining how to do “thorough” hand-washing can be helpful. A minimum of 20 seconds with plenty of soap or detergent and water is necessary to disinfect hands.
Avoid touching your face: eyes, nose, or mouth, with unwashed hands.
Drying with paper towels is preferred to air-blow dryers which can disperse any remaining viruses widely.
Promote good respiratory hygiene in the workplace – encourage everyone, if they need to sneeze or cough, to use a tissue to fully cover their nose and mouth, or if none is available, to cough or sneeze into the crook of their arm.
Other communications and education and training meetings can also be helpful
Industrial and workplace hygiene
Housekeeping measures: a regime of frequent cleaning and disinfection of surfaces, including but not limited to machinery, tools, controls, handles, keyboards, touch screens, telephones, office devices, and doors, stair banisters, and furniture should be implemented. Cleaning surfaces with alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and chlorine bleach at sufficiently high concentrations (minimum 62–71% ethanol, 0.5% hydrogen peroxide or 0.1% sodium hypochlorite) for a minimum time of 1 minute will disinfect them. Any obvious contamination with blood or bodily fluids must be treated with extra care both to disinfect the area and to protect cleaning staff. Cleaning staff should be informed or trained on how to properly disinfect. Frequent cleaning of workplace surfaces and equipment, especially at shift-change, can help reduce transmission.
Employers should ensure that adequate supplies are stocked of such things as cleaning supplies, tissues, first aid supplies, and personal protective equipment.
Ensure good rates of air exchange (ventilation) in the workplace.
Social distancing: wherever possible, provide increased space between workers (two meters or more) and allow working from home and flexible schedules or staggered shifts where possible to reduce the number of workers who come in close contact with each other.
Cancel all non-essential travel and meetings, substitute virtual meetings wherever possible.
Workers in high-risk categories because of age or pre-existing medical conditions should be particularly accommodated.
Kitchen and canteen furnishings, utensils, cutlery, dishes, and so on must receive special attention.
Potentially contaminated waste, including used tissues should be disposed of safely. If the virus is likely to be present in the waste materials seek advice on disposal. In some cases special protocols must be observed.
Handling sick or suspected cases of infection
If a suspected case has been identified in the workplace, medical advice should be sought and the person should be sent home (or to medical care in serious cases) immediately. While awaiting transportation home, the individual should be isolated from others – a mask worn by the individual with the suspected infection can reduce the chance of the virus being passed to others via droplets. All items and surfaces that the individual has been in contact with need to be disinfected; and all people that s/he may have been in contact with should be identified and monitored.
Personal protective equipment
The decision to provide specific protective equipment against the COVID-19 virus must follow a risk assessment that takes into account the specific nature of the workplace and the work in question. The following general advice may not be the best solution in your specific circumstances – seek additional expert advice if necessary.
Common paper or surgical masks are not usually required outside of a health-care setting or for specific tasks such as cleaning or handling potentially contaminated materials, or interacting with potentially infected people. They may reduce transmission of the disease, but can also create a false sense of security. A damp mask may even provide a contaminated surface that can cause infection when removed and disposed of, if extreme care is not taken and immediate washing of hands and face is not done. Even a well-fitted mask of the correct type is not a perfect barrier to viruses and if required, a complete respiratory protection programme is advised to ensure proper training, fit and use.
However, workers who develop a runny nose or a cough while at work should be given a surgical mask to wear until they can leave the workplace – to reduce the risk to others.
Gloves and special garments, if not otherwise required for the workplace, are not generally required for COVID-19 protection except in a health-care setting or for specific tasks such as cleaning or handling potentially contaminated materials, or interacting with potentially infected people. They can play a role in reducing transmission but must be accompanied by a programme of training and education, for example to reduce the temptation to touch one’s face while wearing the gloves.
Cleanliness, especially hand-washing, is considered crucial. Consider whether adequate cleaning and disinfection procedures for all work clothing, including coveralls, boots, gloves, helmets, goggles, respirators, other personal protective equipment, etc. are in place.
Ensure adequate social protection
Everyone in the workplace must understand that even mild symptoms, like a cough and a slight fever, means “stay at home”. This message should be reinforced as strongly as possible.
Workers must be guaranteed that their pay will be kept whole in case of absence for illness; otherwise the risk is high that some will report for work even if ill, and spread the virus.
Consider mental and emotional health: people will be fearful in these uncertain times; and if working from home may experience stress due to social isolation.
Personnel policies and record keeping
Employers must have a plan to handle the situation of someone developing symptoms while at the workplace until they can be safely transferred to medical care.
Visitors to the workplace should be asked about their recent travel history and whether they are currently experiencing any symptoms.
Names of contractors, customers and visitors to the workplace, including which areas they visited, should be retained in case follow-up is necessary.
Conclusion
COVID-19 presents new challenges for health and safety in the workplace, but one thing has not changed – unions make work safer!
In the last few days, there’s been a lot of discussion on the company stating they are purchasing thermometers and checking employees temperature in some locations. Is this legal? Can the employer require this? These questions answered along with more detailed information listed below in the following links.
Employers can screen workers, applicants for fevers, EEOC says
SARS-CoV-2 stability similar to original SARS virus.
Summary:
The virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is stable for several hours to days in aerosols and on surfaces, according to a new study from National Institutes of Health, CDC, UCLA and Princeton University scientists in The New England Journal of Medicine. The scientists found that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detectable in aerosols for up to three hours, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel. The results provide key information about the stability of SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19 disease, and suggests that people may acquire the virus through the air and after touching contaminated objects. The study information was widely shared during the past two weeks after the researchers placed the contents on a preprint server to quickly share their data with colleagues.
The findings affirm the guidance from public health professionals to use precautions similar to those for influenza and other respiratory viruses to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2:
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Health officials say coronavirus tests will ramp up nationwide this week
Vice President Mike Pence and other health officials said two factors will allow them to increase testing capacity dramatically in coming days: Some 2,000 labs coming online across the nation to process tests and high throughput tests that can be used for drive-through or walk-up test centers.
Admiral Brett P. Giroir, assistant secretary of health at the Department of Health and Human Services, said gear and federal health care workers would being shipping out Monday.
Health officials said they were focusing those tests on two groups: Healthcare workers and first responders as well as those who are 65 and older with a respiratory symptom and a fever of at least 99.6 degrees. The officials implored Americans to help prioritize those two groups.
– John Fritze and David Jackson
CDC recommends against gatherings of 50+ people for eight weeks
The CDC issued on Sunday issued new guidance recommending against gatherings of 50 or more people "for the next eight weeks," saying those who have already planned events with that many people should cancel or postpone.
"This recommendation is made in an attempt to reduce introduction of the virus into new communities and to slow the spread of infection in communities already affected by the virus," the CDC wrote on its website. "This recommendation is not intended to supersede the advice of local public health officials."
The guidance notes it "does not apply to the day to day operation of organizations such as schools, institutes of higher learning, or businesses," however those types of organizations are closing nationwide.
"Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing," the CDC wrote. "When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual."
– Jordan Culver
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March 18, 2020
RE: Coronavirus update - Government Affairs
Dear Local Presidents,
As we continue to fight the coronavirus pandemic, I wanted to update you on the efforts our government affairs team have undertaken to protect TWU members’ health, safety, and jobs. Below is a summary of what our government has done and what we are asking them to consider on behalf of TWU members. We are encouraging all TWU members join this fight by calling their U.S. Senators at 202-224-3121 and demanding they pass a pro-worker coronavirus relief bill immediately.
Congress has discussed tackling the coronavirus in three phases. On March 6, the President signed into law phase one: $8.3 billion in spending for public health costs associated with the coronavirus. This spending is now reaching public health departments and research facilities working on a vaccine.
Phase two was passed by the House of Representatives on March 16: a bill focused on personal health. This bill (HR 6201) is currently awaiting action by the Senate and includes the following provisions. - Federally funded free testing for individuals who may have been exposed to the coronavirus - $1 billion for states to better administer unemployment insurance claims Private sector workers at large companies have been exempted from the paid leave requirements. TWU has been fighting to broaden these provisions to include ALL workers. We have also been fighting to include an emergency temporary standard from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). This standard would require employers to implement new, more stringent safety standard for workers in the areas most likely to be exposed to the virus – including transportation workers. Unfortunately, both of these provisions were removed at the last minute at the request of Treasury Secretary Mnuchin.
The House and Senate are now constructing an economic stimulus package for the industries most effected by the drop in demand due to the
virus – specifically for airlines. This bill may be introduced as soon as today (March 18).
The TWU is working with Congress to get $58 billion for airline workers. This money would come with significant restrictions and federal oversight to ensure that workers receive these funds. TWU is asking that any airline that accepts this money: - Direct all of it to frontline workers - Be prohibited from breaking union contracts through bankruptcy for at least five years following the end of federal assistance - Be prohibited from increasing executive compensation, buying back stock, outsourcing work, or lobbying against worker protections at any level of government for at least 5 years following the end of federal assistance
TWU has coordinated with the other aviation unions in these efforts. Together, we are asking for Congress to move as quickly as possible to get this money into the system and into workers’ pockets.
If you have any questions on the ongoing legislative fight, please contact Zack Tatz, Director of Government Affairs, at ZTatz@twu.org.
Thank you,
Mike Mayes TWU International Administrative Vice President Air Division Director
U.S. Department of Labor Offers Guidance For Preparing Workplaces for Coronavirus
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today published “Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19” to help companies respond in the event of coronavirus in the workplace. The guidance was developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS).
“Protecting the health and safety of America’s workforce is a key component of this Administration’s comprehensive approach to combating the coronavirus,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Loren Sweatt. “This guidance outlines practical ways that employers and workers can address potential health risks from the coronavirus in their workplaces.”
This guidance is part of the Department of Labor’s ongoing efforts to educate the workers and employers about the COVID-19 outbreak.
In addition to the guidance, OSHA recently launched a COVID-19 webpage that provides infection prevention information specifically for workers and employers, and is actively reviewing and responding to any complaints regarding workplace protection from novel coronavirus, as well as conducting outreach activities.
The Wage and Hour Division is providing information on common issues employers and employees face when responding to COVID-19, including effects on wages and hours worked under the Fair Labor Standards Act and job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
The Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs has also published guidance for federal employees and outlines Federal Employees’ Compensation Act coverage as it relates to the novel coronavirus.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.
U.S. Department of Labor news materials are accessible at http://www.dol.gov. The Department’s Reasonable Accommodation Resource Center converts departmental information and documents into alternative formats, which include Braille and large print. For alternative format requests, please contact the Department at (202) 693-7828 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (federal relay).
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Dear 591 Members ,
The TWU continues to closely monitor the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The disease originated in Wuhan, China, and has since reached 37 international locations, including cases in the United States. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that person-to-person spread will continue to occur and new cases will most likely be identified over the coming days and weeks.
Efforts by the CDC, World Health Organization (WHO), and others are focused on containing the spread and mitigating the impact of the virus, including multi-layered efforts to limit introductions of the virus to the United States.
As part of the response, the U.S. government suspended entry of foreign nationals who have been in China within the past 14 days and instituted extensive screening, health monitoring, and possible quarantining for U.S. citizens and residents who have visited parts of mainland China over the past two weeks. The CDC has also issued a notice to avoid all nonessential travel to China, while the Department of Homeland Security has been redirecting all flights from China and all passengers who have visited China to 11 airports throughout the United States with increased health screening capability.
In the meantime, there are steps that people can take to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, including getting a flu vaccine, taking everyday preventative actions to stop the spread of germs, and taking flu antivirals if prescribed.
We will continue to share the latest information from the CDC as it becomes available.
Dr Mark Zablotsky brought this video to our attention, which features Dr Peter Lin explaining how the coronavirus spreads and what we must do to protect ourselves.
Coronaviruses can cause mild to moderate upper respiratory illnesses like the common cold. Occasionally, they can cause lower respiratory tract illnesses like pneumonia or bronchitis –but this is more common with people who have underlying health conditions that have weakened their immune system.
: CDC Guidance https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
American remains in constant contact with the experts on disease control including the CDC and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) as well as the FAA and CBP (Customs & Border Protection) to get updates and guidance on this evolving situation. We are committed to following recommendations from the CDC on preventing the spread of Coronavirus which can be found at www.cdc.gov.
: What’s American Doing
We are in close contact with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), CDC and public health officials, and will coordinate with them on any required health-and safety-related measures.
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•As of Jan. 23, we proactively provisioned additional hand sanitizer wipes in the Flight Attendant Service kit on all departures to Shanghai, China (PVG); Beijing, China (PEK); and Hong Kong (HKG). Supply levels will be monitored in the U.S. and at PEK, PVG and HKG. We will replenish if needed.
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•In addition, based on CDC recommendations that hand washing is the most effective prevention, we will continue to provision departures gates to PVG, PEK and HKG, as well as Federal Inspection Service (FIS) and arrival gates, with additional hand sanitizer wipes.
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•We also have a travel notice in place onaa.com/travelalerts.
Protecting yourself
You should take normal precautions to protect yourself including:
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•Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
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•Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
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•Covering with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
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•Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces. Use American Airlines approved chemicals.
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If you feel sick with cold-like symptoms, seek medical care and avoid contact with others. For more information about the coronavirus, visit theCDC’s website. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Reach out to Dr. Stan Miller, our Corporate Medical Director, at Stanley.Miller@aa.com.
TOS 2001-02 Coronavirus.pdf
