New App to Allow County Businesses to Screen Workers

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Sonoma County’s health officer announced on Wednesday a partnership with IBM that will allow employees to screen workers before they return to their offices.

Dr. Sundari Mase say an app to be introduced next week will allow businesses to require their employees to answer three questions regarding their contacts and health, before allowing them to come in to work.

Mase says the technology will help to insure that employees who may have been exposed to the coronavirus or have symptoms will be redirected to a healthcare professional or into isolation, and away from office environments.

The app is part of a suite of technology that is being deployed by companies across the state as California moves from phase one and two of the governor’s reopening plan to phase three, in which non-essential offices will be allowed to reopen, with a variety of virus mitigation, social distancing, and safety protocols in place.

Sonoma County is currently on the cusp of phase two, in which some low risk retail activity will be allowed to resume, with curbside pickup of items ordered online permitted.

Under phase two, shops like bookstores, clothing stores, sporting goods retailers, art supply stores, toy stores and a number of other businesses will reopen as soon as Friday with limited operations.

Still closed are all businesses considered at higher risk, including those inside shopping malls, salons, gyms and other health clubs, indoor seating at restaurants, and generally any other businesses where people congregate.