Merit Family,

Merit recently updated its policy related to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can find an updated copy of the policy here.

The new policy allows for greater U.S. travel without self-isolation, if the employee agrees to follow certain safety precautions (e.g., follow general and additional guidelines found in the policy, follow local health authority guidelines, and avoid group gatherings that could increase the risk of exposure) when traveling to high-risk areas. The policy as well as the below FAQs section has more information.

It's up to managers to ensure that employees aren't required to self-isolate based on the policy. Managers may consult with me if it's unclear if self-isolation will be required. However, self-isolation will continue to be required whenever an employee travels outside of the U.S. to a high-risk area. All business travel remains suspended unless approved by Merit Chairman and CEO, Fred Lampropoulos.

When you request vacation time, or before you travel if no time off is needed (for example, weekend travel), you should submit a travel information form to determine if you must self-isolate when you return from your trip. If you don't have Merit computer access, you can submit the electronic form on one of the computers made available to employees for Kronos submissions. If you're unable to do so, you should submit a hardcopy of the form to your manager. Your manager will then transfer the information to the electronic form.

Please review the policy and the following FAQs in full for more information.

PLANNING A PERSONAL TRIP FAQS

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, to protect the health and safety of your coworkers, you're required to inform Merit of your travel plans. While Merit discourages personal travel during the pandemic, in most cases, you'll be able to return to work as normal and monitor yourself for COVID-19 symptoms. However, in some cases, you'll be required to self-isolate for 14 days upon returning from your trip.

How do I find out if I must self-isolate after my trip?

You should visit Merit's "Travel Guidance" section at Merit metro at https://meritmedical.sharepoint.com/ and submit a "Travel Information Form and Self-Isolation Exception Agreement."

If you're traveling within the U.S., you don't need to self-isolate upon your return if either of these situations apply to you:

1. You're traveling to an area classified as low risk by Merit, or
2. You're traveling to a high-risk area and agree to take certain travel safety precautions.

If neither of the above situations apply to your travel plans, you'll be asked to self-isolate when you return for the protection and safety of your coworkers.

What do I do if I'm not required to self-Isolate?

If you're not required to self-isolate, you may return to work, but you must self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days after you return home and immediately self-isolate if you develop symptoms. Symptoms include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and/or diarrhea.

What do I do if I'm required to self-Isolate?

If you must self-isolate, you shouldn't report to work at any Merit facility, work alongside other Merit employees, or have in-person interactions with Merit customers. Make sure to discuss self-isolation plans with me and your supervisor if you know you must self-isolate before traveling. If you develop symptoms associated with COVID-19 (or a positive test) after travel, additional requirements must be met before returning to work. During self-isolation, you must use vacation, sick benefits, unpaid personal time (U.S. non-exempt employees) or unpaid leave.

May I always take the vacation time I request?

Both the vacation time and any self-isolation that's required must be approved by your manager. Your manager may deny your request if it doesn't meet Merit's business and staffing needs.

What if I'm traveling internationally? If you're traveling internationally to a location classified as high risk by Merit, you'll always be required to self-isolate, even if you agree to the travel precautions. See the policy for more information.

What locations are high risk?

Merit has adopted class A, B, and C risk classifications. Travel in the U.S. to class A and B is considered high risk, but self-isolation isn't required if you agree to the precautions indicated above. More information on classifications is available in the policy.

Where is the full policy?

This is only an overview of Merit's policy. You should consult Merit's POLICY ON TRAVEL TO CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 HIGH-RISK COUNTRIES AND STATES for all the details of traveling during the pandemic. The policy is also available at Merit Metro at https://meritmedical.sharepoint.com/ under "COVID-19 Response & Resources" or "Travel Guidance."

HEALTHY RECIPE OF THE WEEK

To help you get through the summer in a COVID-19-friendly way, each week I'll post a new seasonal healthy recipe to try. This week?

Vegan Watermelon Fruit Pizza  There's nothing more fun than pizza . . . unless it's a fruit pizza! This inventive recipe uses refreshing watermelon for the "crust" and is topped with nondairy coconut yogurt, sweet berries, and crunchy coconut flakes. Get inventive by adding other fruit toppings, and let kids decorate the pizza themselves for more creative kitchen fun. The sky is the limit! Enjoy! Find the recipe here.

SILVER LINING STORY

It seems like every day (COVID-19 or no) we're bombarded with frightening and worrisome news. But the truth of the matter is, good things are happening all around us—we just have to look..

COVID-19 has shed light on a number of heroes, whether they're healthcare workers, grocery store clerks, or—as in this week's Silver Lining Story—teachers. To let her students know she's there for them no matter what, Dawn Thompson, a pre-K teacher in Brooklyn, NY, visited all 21 of her students and sang "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" at a safe, social distance.

"[She didn't just] sing the chorus but the entire song in front of our apartment," a student's mother said, noting that neighbors were standing on the balconies clapping. "It was great."

Read the full story and watch Dawn Thompson sing to her students here.

UPDATE ON COVID-19 AT MERIT

We've now identified 51 cases of COVID-19 among the Merit family of approximately 6,100 (36 in the United States, one in France, two in Ireland, one in The Netherlands, and 11 in Mexico). Employees are recovering at home or at the hospital. Many employees who have recovered have returned to work.

All facilities have implemented stringent COVID-19 protection measures to prevent any spread of the virus among Merit employees.

Please visit the Merit Metro (for employees who have Merit email addresses) or www.merit.com/covid-19-response-resource-page/ for the most updated information on Merit and COVID-19.

Please stay safe. Please stay positive (and keep smiling from 6 feet). I look forward to sharing more information with you soon.

Regards,

Dr. Nicole Priest, MD

Merit Medical Chief Wellness Officer

This communication is for internal distribution only. You may discuss appropriate content of the communication with individuals outside of Merit, but may not distribute the communication itself to individuals outside of Merit.