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What You Need to Know About the Covid Vaccine Mandate for Businesses

At STC, we are committed to providing our clients with everything they need to know about the latest topics in safety. Recently, there has been news circulating about a new OSHA regulation requiring vaccines or weekly covid tests for businesses with more than 100 employees. Here is everything you need to know about preparing your business for the covid vaccine mandate:

What the Covid Vaccine Mandate Means for You

The covid vaccine mandate will only affect businesses that employ 100 or more people. The aim of the mandate is to slow the spread of covid-19 by ensuring that employees are less likely to catch the virus in their workplaces. Essentially, if your business has 100 or more employees, each employee will be required to be fully vaccinated or provide proof of weekly testing.

When Will This Mandate Take Place

Barring a long-lasting injunction, the OSHA regulation states that employers will have to comply with the rule in phases. By December 4, employers will need to develop a compliance plan, offer paid time off for vaccinations and require unvaccinated workers to wear masks. By January 5, all employees must either be fully vaccinated or provide evidence of weekly covid testing.

An Ever-Changing Vaccine Mandate

As the dates for the covid vaccine mandate become closer, there is new information circulating regularly. The future of the covid vaccine mandate is not completely certain at this point, but we are dedicated to providing our clients with the new information as it is released. Keep an eye on our website and our social media pages to ensure you are as updated as possible!

No matter how you choose to prepare your employees for the vaccine mandate, STC is here to help guide you through every step. We offer a wide variety of managed safety services, from onsite safety staffing to safety consulting to help prepare your employees for every situation. Want to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine in the workplace? Check out our blog today!

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Everything You Need to Know About Returning to Work After the Receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine

As more people are starting to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, many workplaces are beginning to lift mask restrictions and other COVID-19 restrictions for their business. While we are still a long way from returning to normal, many parts of normal life are starting to return to the workplace. Here is everything you need to know about returning to work after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine from the safety experts at STC:

You Can Still Get COVID-19 While Vaccinated

The first, and likely most important, thing to remember after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine is that you can still become infected. While all brands of vaccine in the U.S. have shown promising signs of preventing infections in some people, it’s overall goal is to prevent the user from becoming fatally sick after being infected. Vaccinated people may still contract the virus, but sustain little to no symptoms. This means if you become infected, you may still be able to spread the virus to others that are not vaccinated, so safety measures are necessary. 

Understanding the Signs of COVID-19

If you have just received your first or second dose of the vaccine within the last few days, there will be symptoms associated with the vaccination. Symptoms like headaches, fever, fatigue and nausea are common, but others can certainly still occur. If you experience these symptoms after vaccination, this is a very normal response and there is no reason to fear that you are infected. 

However, symptoms like coughing, shortness of breath, or loss of taste or smell are not consistent with post-vaccination side effects. If you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms, it may be necessary for you to get tested for COVID-19. These symptoms are likely to be milder than in those who are not vaccinated, but it is still important to get tested. 

Lifting Restrictions After the COVID-19 Vaccine

The good news about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine is that if a majority of people in your workplace are vaccinated, certain restrictions may no longer be necessary. The CDC has announced that mask restrictions and social distancing are no longer necessary for those who are fully-vaccinated and past the two-week waiting period. For those who are waiting to receive the vaccine or are choosing not to receive it, these restrictions should still be required of them. 

No matter how you choose to prepare your employees for life post-vaccination, STC is here to help guide you through every step. We offer a wide variety of managed safety services, from onsite safety staffing to safety consulting to help prepare your employees for every situation. Want to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine in the workplace? Check out our blog today!

 

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STC’s COVID-19 Vaccine Guide for Your Workplace

As the COVID-19 vaccine slowly rolls out across the country, many people have the opportunity to make their work lives and personal lives much safer. We have worked hard to gather all of the details you need to ensure that you are able to keep your family, coworkers and clients safe through this time. Here’s everything you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine from STC:

Who Can Get the COVID-19 Vaccine?

The vaccine is in short supply and only being given to those in the 1A or 1B groups. As of right now, the only people eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine are healthcare workers, people over the age of 65 and people 16+ with underlying health conditions. As more vaccines become available, many other groups will become eligible to receive their covid vaccine as well.

How Does the Vaccine Work?

Currently, there are two different vaccines available, both being reported to be 95% effective. These vaccines are not meant to prevent you, or those around you, from getting the virus. Essentially, the vaccine is meant to provoke an immune response, so that your body is better able to fend off the virus if you come into contact with someone who has already been infected.

Is the COVID-19 Vaccine Safe?

Yes, the vaccine has gone through all of the phases of testing and regulatory approvals it needed before entering the market. While this process was sped up due to the severity of the virus, this does not mean that important steps were missed along the way. The vaccines do not contain the live virus, meaning that you cannot contract or spread COVID-19 from the vaccine.

Where Can I Get the Vaccine?

It is expected that people will be able to receive vaccinations for free from their doctors, local pharmacies, hospitals and other medical professionals soon. If you are in groups 1A or 1B, you can go ahead and register for your first dose of the vaccine now, but your wait time will depend on local availability. Depending on which vaccine you receive, there may be a 21-28 day waiting period before you can receive your second, and final, dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

No matter how you choose to keep your workplace safe from COVID-19, it is crucial that every employee understands when and where they can receive their vaccine. STC is always here to help keep your workplace safe. Our managed safety services, onsite cna services and safety consulting services are designed to make safety simple. Want to learn more about STC? Check out our blog today!

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