Member Perspective: Sree Chaguturu, MD

Guest Commentator: Sree Chaguturu, MD, Chief Medical Officer, CVS Caremark @CVSHealth

What steps can a business take to prepare their return-to-work strategy and ongoing business continuity?

Widespread vaccine availability is a welcome chapter in the ongoing fight against COVID-19. But vaccine hesitancy continues to be a concern, and now puts into question whether herd immunity can be achieved. Since we may not achieve widespread immunity, testing will continue to be essential to containing the spread of this pathogen. For employers planning sensible, safe, and effective return-to-work strategies, prompt and reliable COVID-19 testing is a critical part of the solution.

There are many reasons employers should develop a comprehensive approach to business continuity that emphasizes testing. For example, vaccines available today might not fully protect against new variants that emerge over time. Also, vaccinated individuals can still be exposed to COVID-19, and the extent to which COVID-19 vaccines can prevent asymptomatic disease is unknown.

Employers need to make informed decisions about opening workplaces as safely as possible. Mapping out a safe return to the workplace calls for smart solutions that account for unique conditions and variables. CVS Health is collaborating with our partners and customers in Philadelphia, including the City of Philadelphia, to provide insight and support. Because testing must be a critical part of the planning process, Return ReadyTM can help.

Return Ready is a comprehensive testing solution from CVS Health that provides flexible, rapid testing on-site. It’s part of a tailored offering that includes end-to-end execution, on-site logistics and testing from professionals, and employee support. Employers can access a customizable online dashboard that illustrates testing data for the organization. Employers may also wish to work with Return Ready for onsite employee vaccinations, with many of the same features to create a convenient, seamless worksite clinic, helping employers get one step closer to business as usual.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Return Ready has helped more than 100 employers design and execute plans that work for their organizations. Its state-of-the-art network model can replicate different kinds of workplace environments, accounting for more than a dozen variables including exposures, contagiousness, and how compliant people are when self-reporting symptoms. It also creates an easy way to evaluate interventions like testing strategies and quarantining.

Again, vaccines are an important tool in the fight against COVID-19, but they can’t do it alone. Employers need a robust return-to-work plan that includes a comprehensive testing strategy as well. Learn more about how to partner with CVS Health to help plan and implement your organization’s return to work.

Through Recharge & Recover PHL, the Chamber is working with our members to make Greater Philadelphia the healthiest and most livable community in the Northeast.