LA Times: Weekly COVID testing for hospital workers to have major impact

COVID-19December 1, 2020

California’s new COVID-19 testing requirements will have a major impact on hundreds of thousands of healthcare workers. The Los Angeles Times covers the impact this will have on workers at acute-care hospitals throughout the state:

“It’s a huge victory that will save lives,” said Sal Rosselli, president of the National Union of Healthcare Workers, which represents more than 15,000 healthcare workers in California and helped lobby for the change.

Before the policy update, the state had no formal testing requirements for healthcare workers, Rosselli said. The introduction of weekly testing, which benefits both patients and workers, was long overdue.

“Sports players and their teams are tested every day to keep them safe,” Rosselli said, “and elite colleges are testing their entire student bodies and faculties every week to minimize COVID infection. But hospital workers who take care of people with COVID couldn’t get tested.”

This is a major win for NUHW members and healthcare employees throughout the state, who continue to fight for even stronger reforms to protect workers throughout the pandemic.

Read the full article at LA Times (subscription required).