News

As expected, DC Health on Tuesday published new guidance on monitoring, restriction, and return to work for healthcare personnel (HCP). The guidance incorporates the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance released this weekend which shortened the isolation and quarantine periods for HCPs exposed or infected with COVID-19.

In DC, HCPs include anyone with direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials, meaning the number of people considered HCPs in a healthcare setting is wide and expands beyond medically trained personnel. The new guidance again reinforces previous guidance on the need for daily screening before entering the workplace, the requirement for appropriate eye protection, and correct respirator usage. 

You can read the entire guidance here.

A few items of note from the updated guidance:

• The guidance introduces layered capacity strategies in light of the Omicron variant. DC Health notes facilities must progress from conventional to contingency to crisis strategies in light of workforce shortages. Facilities must email coronavirus.hai@dc.gov to receive approval for moving beyond contingency strategies. 
• The new strategies dictate how an HCP's work schedule can be modified based on the facility's status.
• HCPs with a previous COVID positive test are no longer exempt from work restrictions after exposure. However, boosted HCPs may continue to work if asymptomatic.
• During conventional capacity situations, HCPs who had prolonged exposure to a positive COVID case or who test positive themselves can be exempt from work restrictions if they are asymptomatic, are monitoring for symptoms, are tested on day 2 and day 5-7 post-exposure and have received a COVID booster. DC Health does recommend an immediate test for these individuals. Those unboosted or unvaccinated should be excluded from work for 10 days post-exposure or 7 days with a negative COVID test and no symptoms. These individuals are required to show a negative test 48 hours prior to returning.
• During "contingency" status, boosted HCPs have the same requirements. Unboosted and unvaccinated HCPs can avoid restrictions if they are asymptomatic; are tested on days 1, 2, 3, and 5-7 post-exposure; and are monitoring for symptoms. 
• During a "crisis" situation, boosted HCPs exposed to COVID have no testing requirement, just a monitoring for symptoms requirement. Unboosted and unvaccinated HCPs have the same requirements as a contingency situation.