July 30: COVID-19 Update

NEW TODAY: Here’s the latest information about Michigan Medicine’s management of operations:

• COVID-19 PATIENT STATS
• TEAM MEMBER COVID-19 TESTING
• IMPORTANCE OF MASK COMPLIANCE AT ALL TIMES
• VISITOR POLICY REMINDER
• ORGANIZATION DOES NOT ACCEPT NEGATIVE TEST RESULTS FROM ABBOTT ID NOW, QUIDEL SOFIA 2, BD VERITOR PLATFORMS
• SEROLOGY TESTING NOW AVAILABLE FOR EMPLOYEES
• UPDATED MICHIGAN MEDICINE COVID-19 PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PLAN
• EXPANDED FMLA ELIGIBILITY FOR SCHOOL AND CHILD CARE

DAILY COVID-19 PATIENT STATS

Today’s census for COVID-19 inpatients and those patients under investigation (PUI) are noted below: 

Discharges: 655 total COVID-19 discharges to date, 2 in the last 24 hours. These numbers include patients discharged to skilled nursing facilities but excludes deaths and discharges to hospice.

TEAM MEMBER COVID-19 TESTING STATS*

* Data from 3/10 through 7/29. The testing stats reflect just Michigan Medicine employees, not all University of Michigan employees. It also reflects only those who sought testing at or were hospitalized at Michigan Medicine or reported their testing to Occupational Health Services. Some Michigan Medicine employees may have been tested outside our system.

IMPORTANCE OF MASK COMPLIANCE AT ALL TIMES

As a reminder, U-M has instituted a face covering policy that requires everyone on the university and medical campus grounds to wear a face covering over their nose and mouth, both indoors and outdoors.

At Michigan Medicine, it has been observed that some clinical faculty and staff are not compliant with our mask policy while dictating patient chart notes. It is required that in all of our facilities, including during dictation, a mask covering both nose and mouth must be worn.

VISITOR POLICY REMINDER

In compliance with our current visitor policy, employees may not invite family, friends or other individuals to enter our clinical facilities for personal reasons or to share a meal. We continue to restrict the number of visitors in our facilities in order to maintain the safety of our patients, families and workforce. Please review and adhere to the visitor policy and guidelines.

ORGANIZATION DOES NOT ACCEPT NEGATIVE TEST RESULTS FROM ABBOTT ID NOW, QUIDEL SOFIA 2, BD VERITOR PLATFORMS

Please be advised that Michigan Medicine does not accept a negative test result from the following point-of-care COVID PCR testing devices: Abbott ID NOW, Quidel Sofia 2 and BD Veritor.

Due to the low sensitivity of these tests, Michigan Medicine will not accept a negative a result from tests performed using these platforms. If you receive a negative test result for these three tests, repeat COVID PCR testing is recommended.

A positive test result will be accepted. Information about the test method including instrument name is typically found at the bottom of laboratory reports. 

SEROLOGY TESTING NOW AVAILABLE FOR EMPLOYEES

Michigan Medicine is now offering COVID-19 serology testing for employees. Serology involves testing blood for antibodies, which are special proteins that the body produces to help fight off infections and are made in response to an infection. They can be produced even if a person has few or no symptoms.

Michigan Medicine employees who have provided patient care in inpatient and ambulatory care settings since Jan. 1, 2020 are eligible to participate. This also includes personnel who have supported patient care in patient care environments, including radiology, food and nutrition, clinical laboratory, environmental services, security and other support services. In addition, employees who previously had symptoms concerning for COVID-19 but were unable to be tested are eligible to participate. Symptoms of COVID-19 include: fever, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches, headache, upper respiratory symptoms (rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, sore throat), loss of sense of smell or taste, diarrhea, and rash.

Employees who previously received COVID-19 serology results through a research study or their own health care provider are not eligible to participate at this time.

Click here for more information and to learn what you need to do in order to be tested.

UPDATED MICHIGAN MEDICINE COVID-19 PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PLAN

The new Michigan Medicine COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan has been updated to include more robust and inclusive overviews of safety practices and protocols for faculty, staff and learners within the organization. This includes the clinical enterprise, U-M Medical School protocols for both research and education, and new guidelines based on recent executive orders and policy changes. 

While the guide provides general guidance, it is important to please continue to follow your segment’s current policies and procedures, including the university’s directive that unless specified by your supervisor, everyone who can work from home must continue to do so. The updated version can be found here.

EXPANDED FMLA ELIGIBILITY FOR SCHOOL AND CHILD CARE

As families begin planning for the upcoming school year, additional guidance is available regarding the use of expanded FMLA (EFLMA) benefits that were announced in the spring. The federal legislation allows for an expanded paid time off benefit for employees who need to provide child care and cannot work remotely due to school closures and child care closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The following explain when EFMLA is/isn’t available:

·       If the school has decided to go 100% virtual, EFMLA may be applied.

·       If the school has decided to go part in-person and part virtual, or there is limited seating where the child has to do part virtual, EFMLA may be applied for the virtual time only.

·       If the school has decided to offer options to parents that allows 100% virtual or a variation of virtual/in person or full time in person, EFMLA will not be applied, since there is an option for full-time care available.

·       If the school has decided to go full-time in person, EFMLA will not be applied.

Please monitor your school district’s plans for the fall semester and plan accordingly for what works best for your family.

The EFMLA benefit expires on Dec. 31, 2020. There is a 30-day service requirement and the benefit is not available to those on layoff or furlough. Total FMLA time available will be coordinated with other FMLA related absences. Michigan Medicine employees must send the completed EFMLA request form to your department administrator and also fax to the Human Resources Solution Center at 734-936-9526. For more information, or questions, please contact the HR Solution Center at 734-647-5538 or visit the Michigan Medicine HR website: https://hr.medicine.umich.edu/hr-services/solutions-center.

Still have questions?

Operational and policy updates continue to be posted on Michigan Medicine Headlines at https://mmheadlines.org/covid-19-updates/. Please bookmark that site and refer to it throughout the day for the most up-to-date information.