Here’s How GCAL Is Keeping Employees Safe During COVID-19

New York—The Gem Certification & Assurance Lab (GCAL) depends on having workers on-site, and the New York City-based laboratory has shared its plan for ensuring their safety for the remainder of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The lab has enlisted a doctor to test employees for COVID-19 via the nasal swab test every two weeks. The test is required to make sure any possible positive cases are immediately identified.

GCAL explained bringing a doctor to the premises is a solution they’re using in order to eliminate any added stress on employees.

“Since we have employees commuting from all five boroughs, Long Island, and New Jersey, plus our preference to have all our employees tested frequently, we didn’t want to put anyone at unnecessary risk,” GCAL COO Angelo Palmieri said in a press release.

“Essentially, we’d be asking them to find a doctor’s office, urgent care facility, etc., to then potentially stand in line for hours alongside others waiting for a test, some of whom might be infected. We felt compelled to reduce our exposure, while minimizing the network of people our staff must interact with.”

The move comes as New York City and surrounding areas continue to open, meaning more interactions among people, particularly as children go back to school.

“It is our hope that by sharing this with the industry, other companies will consider doing the same,” Founder and President Don Palmieri said. “Nothing is more important than the health and welfare of our GCAL colleagues, and of course their families.”

Additionally, the doctor will provide antibody tests via blood draw, which will be optional for employees. Results will be available 48 hours after testing, and according to GCAL’s contracted physician, the sooner results of blood exams are processed, the more accurate the results.

GCAL employees are fully covered for the tests under their 100-percent-employer-paid insurance policy.

The lab is working with Dr. Michele Martinho for the workplace testing.

Martinho recently addressed the lab at its first round of testing, encouraging the staff to follow best practices, like getting flu vaccinations early this flu season and attempting to bolster immunity through healthy diet and exercise.

She also answered staff questions and reiterated the general knowledge that wearing a mask to cover one’s nose and mouth, as well as some form of eye glasses or sunglasses to cover one’s eyes, plus to adhere to social distancing guidelines, is essential to staying safe.

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