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CDC Releases Return to Work Interim Guidance for Health Care Workers With Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19

When can a health care worker, who was confirmed with — or suspected of — COVID-19 return to work? The Center for Disease Control has issued guidance when health care workers may return to work in healthcare settings. These guidelines may be adapted by state and local health departments as circumstances change:

1. Test-based strategy. Exclude from work until
   • Resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and
   • Improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath), and
   • Negative results of an FDA Emergency Use Authorized molecular assay for COVID-19 from at least two consecutive nasopharyngeal swab specimens collected ≥24 hours apart (total of two negative specimens)[1]. See Interim Guidelines for Collecting, Handling, and Testing Clinical Specimens for 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

2. Non-test-based strategy. Exclude from work until
   • At least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since recovery defined as resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and,
   • At least 7 days have passed since symptoms first appeared

If HCP were never tested for COVID-19 but have an alternate diagnosis (e.g., tested positive for influenza), criteria for return to work should be based on that diagnosis.

After returning to work, HCP should:

• Wear a facemask at all times while in the healthcare facility until all symptoms are completely resolved or until 14 days after illness onset, whichever is longer
• Be restricted from contact with severely immunocompromised patients (e.g., transplant, hematology-oncology) until 14 days after illness onset
• Adhere to hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, and cough etiquette in CDC’s interim infection control guidance (e.g., cover nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, dispose of tissues in waste receptacles)
• Self-monitor for symptoms, and seek re-evaluation from occupational health if respiratory symptoms recur or worsen

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/healthcare-facilities/hcp-return-work.html