The New York State Department of Health announced new guidance last week allowing healthcare workers and other members of the critical workforce who test positive for COVID-19 and are fully vaccinated to return to work sooner than previously allowed in order to provide healthcare and other essential services to New Yorkers. This comes following updated guidance from the CDC in the face of increasing COVID-19 cases and the highly contagious Omicron variant.
“The rapid rise in infections means the impact of the winter / Omicron surge on the workforce is already being felt,” said Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett, adding, “A reduction of isolation from 10 days to five days is sensible guidance and in alignment with the recent CDC guidance for health workers. We are not advising people who are sick to return to work. This guidance allows vaccinated people in the critical workforce who test positive and have no symptoms or are mildly symptomatic to return to work.”
The Department of Health’s new guidance allows fully vaccinated healthcare workers and other fully vaccinated members of the critical workforce who test positive for COVID-19 to return to work after five days if they meet certain criteria and if there is a critical staffing shortage.
In a press release, the DOH outlined the following guidelines, writing, “They must be asymptomatic or, if they had mild symptoms, they must not have a fever for at least 72 hours without fever-reducing medication; have resolution of symptoms or, if still with residual symptoms, then all are improving; not have rhinorrhea (runny nose); have no more than minimal, non-productive cough (i.e., not disruptive to work and does not stop the person from wearing their mask continuously, not coughing up phlegm).”
They also noted that testing is not required.
Workers must consistently and correctly wear a well-fitting non-woven facemask. In health care settings these include a higher-level mask such as a KN95, a fit-tested N95 respirator while at work. Individuals who are moderately to severely immunocompromised are not eligible to return to work under this guidance.
Workers participating in this program should be instructed to practice social distancing from coworkers whenever possible, separate themselves from others when removing their mask to eat or drink and self-monitor for symptoms and seek re-evaluation if symptoms recur or get worse.
NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi stated, “As we battle this Omicron wave, we must do all we can to ensure our hospitals are able to meet the moment. I support the revised guidance on isolation for critical workers who are fully vaccinated. I want to thank our health care and other critical workers for stepping up yet again to keep us safe and healthy.”
For more details on the new guidance, visit https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2021/12/return-to-work-isolation-guidance_12-24-21.pdf.
Stop the masks they don’t help never did…insanity ..let’s let people and kids back to school and work stop producing the fear that is destroying this Country and our freedoms ..wake up America
This delineation of vax’d/unvax’d is beyond ridiculous. I honestly am disgusted by the fact that any DOH would believe someone who is vax’d cannot transmit Covid as opposed to an unvax’d person. It’s not a Miri leg drug or preventative- it’s to reduce your symptoms should/ if and/ or when you get Covid. Nothing more, nothing less. The coercion will continue as long as people allow it. Once freedoms are gone- they cannot be regained…