The White House’s COVID-19 “Playbook” – Preparing Workplaces for Fall and Winter

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The White House has issued a “Fall Playbook for Businesses to Manage COVID-19 and Protect Workers,” with a list of recommendations for employers to keep their workforces safe in light of the anticipated rise in COVID-19 infections this fall and winter. These recommendations include the following:

  1. Help employees access updated COVID-19 vaccines, including by:
      • Partnering with a vaccine provider to host on-site vaccination clinics for flu and COVID-19.
      • Providing information and answering questions about the importance of flu and COVID-19 vaccinations
      • Offering paid time off or other incentives to receive vaccinations
  1. Ensure that employees know about COVID-19 treatment options and how to access them. Action items include:
      • Encouraging employees to test if they have COVID-19 symptoms.
      • Making sure employees with COVID-19 know that they should consult a health care provider to determine eligibility for treatments, like Paxlovid.
      • Increasing awareness of valuable resources, like free at-home tests through health insurance and telehealth/virtual care visits.
  1. Improve indoor air quality across buildings. Recognizing that masking is on the wane, the White House suggests that employers focus on air quality by taking steps such as:
      • Publicly committing to the Clean Air in Building Challenge – a White House call to action to make air quality improvements to keep building occupants safe.
      • Inspecting ventilation, filtration and air cleaning systems.
      • Using the highest filtration level of air filters possible for the mechanical ventilation system.
      • Using portable air cleaners in areas with limited ventilation or filtration.
      • Running HVAC systems during all hours of occupations, with increased run-time and enhanced settings when COVID-19 Community Levels, as determined by the CDC, are higher.