Member News Release: Innovation at the Forefront

As we work to keep you current on the latest employer-related COVID-19 news, the Vanderbilt Health Employer Solutions team wanted to make you aware of four recent developments.

1. Implications of New Legislation: Our team is monitoring the ramifications for employers of the Family First Coronavirus Response Act, signed into law on March 18. The bill offers provisions for paid sick leave, emergency family leave, expanded unemployment benefits and employer tax credits.

2. Promising Innovation News: VUMC is teaming up with academic, governmental and corporate partners in an unprecedented, fast-tracked global effort to develop antibody-based treatments to protect people exposed to the 2019 novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19.

Researchers from the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center (VVC) have rapidly responded to this outbreak by building a comprehensive “toolkit” to identify and analyze antibodies isolated from the blood of survivors for their ability to neutralize SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Thousands of antibodies that already have been identified by the VVC are now being analyzed for their ability to inhibit the virus and, more important, to prevent it from causing illness.

“Our goal is to prepare antibodies for human clinical trials by this summer,” said James Crowe, MD, director of the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center.

Learn more here.

3. Get Ready for Telehealth: Telehealth is a way to ensure your workforce continues to receive the highest-quality, personalized care despite the many challenges that coronavirus presents. Vanderbilt Health has been working around the clock to rapidly expand our telehealth capabilities to help us care for our patients remotely today and into the future. Partner with our care team by making sure you and your employees are signed up for our patient portal, My Health at Vanderbilt. Telehealth visits will start from your My Health at Vanderbilt account, so activate your account today.

4. Small-business Assistance: The U.S. Small Business Administration recently announced low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses to help them cope with the economic impact of the coronavirus. Learn more here.