AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SaferMe, the global leader in contact tracing, has announced that its portable Bluetooth-enabled contact tracing cards are now monkeypox ready. The upgrade addresses business leaders’ concerns that they could lose employees and productivity for up to four weeks in the event of an outbreak. A cluster of cases within an organization can cause significant short-term operational issues in key industry sectors.
“The current perception is to think of monkeypox as ‘just a sexually transmitted disease’, but the virus is also transmissible through respiratory droplets, much like Covid-19. Look at how many people are working in close proximity to each other in factories, offices, and production facilities, and you can see how the risks to businesses are starting to grow,” says Clint Van Marrewijk, Founder and CEO of SaferMe. “As at the start of the Covid pandemic, most of companies downplay the risk posed by monkeypox to their day-to-day operations or ignore it altogether. Now is the time to prepare.”
SaferMe, a provider of contact tracing solutions for Fortune 500 companies and the New Zealand government, believes that after several risk escalations by international and national authorities, businesses cannot ignore the threat posed by the virus. These include:
- US Department of Health and Human Services declares the continued spread of monkeypox in the United States a public health emergency
- States of California and Illinois declare states of emergency
- The New York State Health Commissioner recently issued a statement of imminent threat to public health and San Francisco declared a local public health emergency.
- The World Health Organization issues its highest level of alert for the virus, categorizing it as a public health emergency of international concern.
“Automatic contact tracing is a new technology that offers companies the ability to respond quickly to any virus outbreak among employees. The tree-based phone call systems, used during the initial Covid outbreak, are outdated and unproductive “, says Van Marrewijk. “These small, disposable devices now provide business owners, HR, risk and business continuity managers with accurate information through an automated system. This ensures that they do not overreact when they identify a case. This can result in the isolation of too many people and a shutdown of operations when not necessary. Accurate data enables an accurate response.”
The contact tracing card provides instant data that allows contact tracers to prioritize those most at risk. This minimizes the likelihood of false contacts being found, which was a major contact tracing challenge during the early stages of Covid.
Overview of SaferMe wearable contact tracing devices:
SaferMe’s contact tracing devices work by transmitting Bluetooth Low Energy signals to each other, without ever sharing location information or storing any personal information about the wearer. Employees carry the cards on a lanyard, belt clip or pouch while at work. An employee with a probable case of monkeypox, or any virus, presses the button on the card to share data with administrators, so they can determine precisely who the employee has been in contact with.
The SaferMe system allows administrators to filter different distances. The closest distance measured is 6 feet, indicating that direct face-to-face contact has occurred, and the maximum distance is 50 feet.
The cards have a shelf life of 18 months after delivery and, once activated, will operate for 1300 hours over a minimum of 6 months assuming normal use of 10 hours per day, 5 days per week. The boards are waterproof and dustproof to IP67 standard.
SaferMe has ensured that the cards are designed with data security and privacy in mind. After 21 days, all contact data stored on the card is automatically deleted. All data exchanged between cards, during synchronization and processing, is encrypted using AES-128 or higher, including the use of rotating keys. To further increase privacy, only authorized users of the client can view contact tracing data on SaferMe.
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About SaferMe:
SaferMe is the world’s leading contact tracing system for businesses. Its global mission is to keep employees safe at work, prepare businesses for the pandemic, and keep them open for business. To achieve this, it has developed the industry’s most advanced suite of contact tracing software, wearables, security apps and security reporting solutions. SaferMe is used in over 30 countries, by governments, Fortune 500 companies and some of the world’s most important brands. SaferMe has offices in the United States, New Zealand, Sweden and Australia. More information: www.saferme.com
For press inquiries, please contact:
Evan Bloom
Tel: + 1 315-744-4912
Email: evan@fortresscomms.com
Related Images
Image 1: Clint Van Marrewijk, founder and CEO of SaferMe
Clint Van Marrewijk, founder and CEO of SaferMe carrying a SaferMe contact tracing card.
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Clint Van Marrewijk, founder and CEO of SaferMe