The number of Henry Ford Health System employees who are away from work because of issues related to COVID-19 is increasing, prompting continued concern about transmission in the community, Adnan Munkarah, MD, executive vice president and chief clinical officer, said during a media briefing Dec. 4.
On Dec. 4, 576 employees at the Detroit-based health system were sidelined because they tested positive, have pending tests or are quarantined because of close contact, said Dr. Munkarah. That is up from 378 on Nov. 25 and represents less than 2 percent of the health system's workforce of about 30,000 people.
"We are seeing [staffing shortages] across the state and across health systems and other areas of the nation because of the fact that [healthcare] employees, like any other member of the community, are exposed in the community and testing positive," Dr. Munkarah said. "This is very concerning, and we continue to watch it."
To help ensure transmission is contained, he said Henry Ford Health System is educating and supporting the community. On Dec. 4, the health system announced it is launching a "Tough Love" campaign, a multimedia, multiplatform effort to encourage Michigan residents to renew their commitment to wear a mask, wash their hands and practice social distancing. Henry Ford Health System said in November that the health system and Health Alliance Plan are also launching a public health campaign that includes distributing more than 260,000 masks in the community.
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