Babylon Health, a telemedicine company based in the U.K., is offering to pay for employees to undergo COVID-19 testing if they provide the company with their results, according to a Bloomberg report.
Four details:
1. The company is offering its pin-prick blood tests to U.K. employees to test for COVID-19. The tests were designed to monitor kidney and liver functions and sold directly to consumers.
2. The tests may show whether the person was exposed to COVID-19 and potential immunity. Those who do have immunity could leave their homes for work, according to the report. A company spokesperson said the tests had 99 percent specificity and 95 percent sensitivity.
3. Babylon's employee test is voluntary and could serve as a pilot for broader roll-out. However, the requirement to report results to the company has raised privacy concerns.
4. Babylon Health has also been in the news for furloughing around 5 percent of its workforce, or about 100 staff members, in early April despite its $2 billion valuation last year.