The (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) CDC has changed its guidance for non-healthcare workers/non-healthcare settings regarding isolation and masking during COVID-19 infection. Our Infection Prevention (IP), Employee Occupational Health & Wellness (EOHW), Occupational & Environmental Safety Office (OESO) teams want to clarify the impact on team members and patients by sharing the following information.

What does this mean for our team members?

Narrowed definition of patient-facing healthcare personnel (HCP) as follows: Personnel who directly interact with patients (i.e., you come within 6 feet of patients in your daily work) or personnel who work closely with colleagues who directly interact with patients.

Patient-facing HCP guidance:

  • No changes have been made to our current approach for patient-facing HCP with COVID-19 infection:
  • 5-day mandatory isolation then wear a well-fitting mask to complete 10 days after the first day of symptom onset
  • Must be fever-free for 24 hours without fever-suppressing medication AND symptoms are improving to return to work

Non-patient-facing HCP guidance:

  • Team member will self-determine their return-to-work date following these rules:
  • May not work while sick with fever, systemic symptoms, or severe symptoms (i.e. significant cough)
    Must be fever-free for 24 hours without fever-suppressing medication AND symptoms are improving to return to work
  • Upon return to work, the team member must wear a well-fitting mask while around other people to complete 10 days after the first day of symptom onset.

What does this mean for our patients?

  • The guidance does not apply to COVID-19 infected patients’ isolation precautions or duration of isolation while receiving care in inpatient or outpatient healthcare settings.
  • Transmission-based precautions (gloves, gown, eye protection, N95 or PAPR) should still be used by team members when caring for COVID-19 infected patients for the duration of isolation (10 or 20 days).
  • Patients with active COVID-19 infection should continue to wear well-fitting masks when visiting outpatient healthcare spaces or leaving their hospital rooms for required diagnostics/procedures/etc. for the duration of isolation (10 or 20 days).