The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has issued a new order allowing for critical infrastructure workers, with or without symptoms, to access COVID-19 testing, when available. Please note that media reports, and reports from MABA members, continue to indicate many testing centers across Michigan are not testing asymptomatic workers, even in light of the below order, due to lack of testing. This is a fluid situation and subject to change. We highly recommend calling ahead to testing centers and not to anticipate tests for asymptomatic workers. The order is available here. Subject to the disclaimer above, this new order clears the way for essential workers who may or may not be showing symptoms to be placed among the priority groups for a test. From the order: “Given the continued expansion of COVID-19 testing capacity in Michigan, MDHHS is expanding the COVID-19 testing prioritization criteria to broaden the populations eligible for testing to include individuals with mild symptoms in certain circumstances. Specifically, health care providers should test any healthcare facility worker or first responder (even if they do not have symptoms). Critical infrastructure workers (i.e., any worker still leaving the home for inperson work) with potential COVID-19 exposure, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic, should be tested as well, so long as adequate specimen collection and test processing capacity remains after serving all known patients in higher-priority testing categories.” State officials have clarified that in this context, the order covers any worker still leaving the home for in-person work. We strongly recommend calling ahead to a testing location to verify testing availability and discuss your specific situation with the testing site. Testing locations can be searched at this State of Michigan link. Should a testing location request certification from an employer of an employee’s status, the following langauge could be modified as appropriate: [Company] is engaged in agricultural and/or food production in Michigan, or supports the food and agricultural supply chain. The bearer of this letter is employed by [Company] and has been identified as an essential employee, designated to continue in-person work authorized under Executive Order 2020-59 and previous Executive Orders outlining Michigan’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” requirements. On April 20, 2020 the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services issued a memorandum expanding the COVID-19 testing prioritization criteria to include “critical infrastructure workers (i.e., any worker still leaving the home for inperson work) with potential COVID-19 exposure, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic, so long as adequate specimen collection and test processing capacity remains after serving all known patients in higher-priority testing categories.” I am writing to confirm that our employee has been designated as essential under the Governor’s Executive Orders, and has performed in-person work. We are hopeful they can be provided a test, subject to availability of test capacity and the priority categories identified in the MDHHS memo. If you have any questions, I ask that you contact our office. Sincerely, Name Company Address Phone
