Covid-19 Vaccine Protocol for Construction Industry
After a year of public health advice to wear masks anytime we go out in public, it may feel strange to take them off after being vaccinated. Many people’s minds have been imprinted with a new set of societal standards as a result of the pandemic’s horror. Mask-wearing is essential to such standards.
So it’s natural that the sudden revelation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that it has altered its masking recommendations for fully vaccinated persons feels a bit jarring. In locations that allow it, the CDC now states that people who have been completely vaccinated (or two weeks after their final dose of the vaccine) can continue activities without wearing masks or physically distancing if they are fully vaccinated.
Individuals who do not satisfy these conditions are still subject to the previous masking and social distancing requirements and are not deemed completely vaccinated. Meanwhile, those who have weaker immune systems or are using immune-suppressing medications should exercise particular caution and seek medical advice before being vaccinated, according to the CDC.
Individuals can continue activities they were doing before the pandemic once they are completely immunized. Except when required by federal, state, municipal, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidelines, this can be done without wearing a mask or remaining six feet away.
The same could be said for workers in the construction industry. However, employer must know how to strike a balance between the need to provide a safe and compliant workplace as they begin re-opening and recovering. In view of this fast changing scenario, the following are some essential issues for employers to address in order to offer a safe, effective, and compliant workplace:
- Consider implementing or revising COVID-19 immunization policies across the board
- Determine if the vaccine should be mandated and whether there are alternative options for improving immunization rates, such as incentivization.
- In most circumstances, healthcare employers must continue to adhere to prior masking and social distancing rules.
- Consider whether any vaccination incentives need appropriate accommodations for workers with disabilities.
- In light of the CDC Guidance, update COVID-19 rules to identify whether workers will be subject to masking and social distancing.
- Keep an eye on their employees’ physical and emotional well-being.
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