June 1, 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On May 29, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (\u201cCDC\u201d) updated its Interim U.S. Guidance for Risk Assessment and Work Restrictions for Healthcare Personnel with Potential Exposure to COVID-19<\/a>. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, CDC recommends occupational health programs have a low threshold for evaluating symptoms and testing healthcare personnel (\u201cHCP\u201d) and a conservative approach to HCP monitoring and applying work restrictions. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n What does the interim guidance focus on?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n CDC\u2019s interim guidance focuses on exposures that would result in higher risk to HCP, such as prolonged exposure to patients with COVID-19 when HCP\u2019s eyes, nose, or mouth are not covered. However, specific factors associated with exposures should be evaluated on a case by case basis. Interventions, including work restrictions, can be applied if the risk for transmission is substantial. Work restrictions might also be applied to HCP exposed to a person under investigation (\u201cPUI\u201d) if test results for the PUI are not expected to return within 48 to 72 hours. CDC recommends maintaining a record of HCP exposed to PUIs. If test results are delayed more than 72 hours or the patient is positive for COVID-19, then work restrictions should be applied.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n What are the work restrictions for HCP who had a prolonged close contact with a patient, visitor, or HCP with confirmed COVID-19?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n HCP who had prolonged close contact with a patient, visitor, or HCP with confirmed COVID-19 and who did not wear: (a) a respirator or facemask, (b) eye protection if the person with COVID-19 was not wearing a cloth face covering or facemask, or (c) gown, gloves, eye protection, and a respirator while performing an aerosol-generating procedure should:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Are there work restrictions for HCP who have not had prolonged close contact with a patient, visitor, or HCP with confirmed COVID-19?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n No, however, HCP should adhere to all recommended infection prevention and control practices<\/a>, including wearing a facemask while at work, undergoing active screening for fever or symptoms consistent with COVID-19 at the beginning of their shift, monitoring themselves for a fever or symptoms consistent with COVID-19, and not reporting to work when ill. Any HCP who develops a fever or symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should immediately self-isolate and contact their established point of contact to arrange for medical evaluation and testing.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n What is the time period when a patient, visitor, or HCP with confirmed COVID-19 could be infectious?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For individuals with confirmed COVID-19 who developed symptoms, the exposure window should be two days before symptom onset through the time when the individual meets the criteria for discontinuation of transmission-based precautions<\/a>. Individuals with confirmed COVID-19 who never developed symptoms should be considered potentially infectious beginning two days after their exposure until they meet criteria for discontinuing transmission-based precautions. If the date of exposure is unknown, it is reasonable to use a starting point of two days prior to the positive test through the time period when the individual meets criteria for discontinuation of transmission-based precautions for contact tracing. <\/span> <\/p>\n\n\n\n How does the CDC define \u201cprolonged,\u201d \u201cclose contact\u201d and \u201cfever\u201d?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cProlonged\u201d is defined as a time period of 15 or more minutes. However, if the exposure occurs during performance of an aerosol-generating procedure, any duration should be considered \u201cprolonged.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cClose contact\u201d is defined as being within six feet of a person with confirmed COVID-19 or having unprotected direct contact with infectious secretions or excretions of the person with confirmed COVID-19. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n A \u201cfever\u201d is defined as either the measured temperature >100.0 o<\/sup>F or a subjective fever. Fever may be intermittent or may not be present in some patients.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Has the Texas Department of State Health Services provided any guidance for HCP exposed to COVID-19?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n