Good morning,

Here is the next installment of the “Big Three” questions we are hearing from you. As always, please continue to check our FAQs and the USDA Workplace Safety Plan, which are updated frequently, and reach out to futureofwork@usda.gov for any questions not already addressed.

Sincerely,

The Future of Work Taskforce

1. Does the COVID-19 vaccine protect against the Omicron variant?

Our understanding of how the pandemic is evolving is largely based on how death rates from COVID-19 are affected by vaccination status. How effective vaccines are over time against severe disease and death may change due to new strains of the virus, such as Omicron, waning immunity and the use of booster vaccinations. Worldwide, the evidence is overwhelming that the vaccines are working remarkably well to protect against severe illness and death even during the Omicron surge. The severest forms of the illness and the vast majority of deaths continue to be among the unvaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 250,000 of the 850,000 deaths in the U.S. so far were vaccine preventable.

2. What type of mask should I wear?

The CDC’s Jan. 14, 2022, Masking Guidance reminds us that masking is a critical public health tool for preventing the spread of COVID-19. To maximize protection against the spread of COVID-19, wearing a mask is better than wearing no mask. To protect yourself and others from COVID-19, the CDC continues to recommend that you wear the most protective mask you can that fits well and that you consistently wear your mask. Also, USDA continues to require all employees, contractors and visitors to wear masks in accordance with USDA Workplace Safety Plan and corresponding FAQs. The CDC has more information on masking here.

Information is still to come from the White House regarding the distribution of 400 million N95 masks that was announced this week. We will be sure to share more information on how to procure those when we have it.

3. Where do I go to order the free COVID-19 tests to use at home?

You can visit covidtests.gov to procure four free over the counter COVID-19 at-home tests per household. These are rapid antigen at-home tests that can be taken anywhere and are not reviewed in a lab. These tests will not be accepted as the required screening tests for work eligibility. We will be providing updates in the next one to two weeks regarding implementation of a USDA screening testing program.

Read the fourth installment of the Big Three.