The Covid-19 crisis changes the missions of occupational health services. These caregivers will thus be able to carry out screening tests, and issue work stoppages in the event of suspected coronavirus, announced the Ministry of Labor on Wednesday.
Doctors and nurses will now be able to "carry out screening tests", said the entourage of the Minister of Labor, Muriel Pénicaud. Ultimately, "the objective is to associate occupational health services with a policy of more massive tests with a view to breaking out of confinement," he said.
Teams to protect
The occupational physicians, who could not prescribe a work stoppage until now, will be authorized to do so “in the event of infection or suspected infection” with the coronavirus, according to the text of a prescription presented in the Council of Ministers. All this will be done under the direction and according to a protocol defined in particular by the Ministry of Health.
Asked about the protective equipment of doctors or nurses in these services, the entourage of Muriel Pénicaud replied that "he could not say it at this stage" while France is experiencing a shortage of masks and has ordered millions .
Support and prevent
In addition, these occupational health services, representing approximately “12,000 people” according to the ministry, will be “refocused” on “prevention messages” in order to fight against the coronavirus, and on “the application of guides to good practice” of different trades. They will also be able to "suspend certain compulsory medical visits" and "give priority to hiring visits and those of people assigned to positions at risk" in particular.
According to the text of the ordinance, they will also be responsible for "supporting companies brought, by the effect of the health crisis, to increase or adapt their activity", and this within a deadline set on August 31, 2020.
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