An Employee Has COVID-19, what's next? Quick 5-Step Guide

1. Send the employee home to quarantine

• Instruct the staff member who tests positive to go home and self-quarantine for at least 10 days. Tell him/her to contact a health care provider.  During those 10 days, the employee is still able to spread the virus during those quarantine days, with or without symptoms.

• Some states may require a longer quarantine period. If residing in a state with high rates of transmission, a more cautious approach may be necessary.
  
• If the employee has not yet informed the state health department, offer to communicate and notify public-health officials of the diagnosis on behalf of the infected staff member.
• According to the CDC, "Employers are encouraged to implement flexible, non-punitive paid sick leave and supportive policies and practices as part of a comprehensive approach to prevent and reduce transmission among employees. Some employees may be eligible to take leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or the Families First Coronavirus Response Act."
  

2. Vacate (if possible) and Disinfect employee work area

• Closing off the employee's work area, including the zones they were in for the previous few days, is the next step. This can be a difficult or impossible task.

• The FDA suggests you wait 24 hours before disinfecting the area to avoid exposing other workers. Open all doors and windows to increase air circulation in the exposed area.

• If it is not possible to completely shut down that zone of your workplace, System4 IPS can perform immediate and lasting disinfection, following all safety regulations, to minimize your business' downtime.  The System4 IPS process meets and exceeds the CDC guidelines.

• Prior to disinfection, all surfaces must be rid of dirt and debris before application of an EPA-approved disinfectant. Proper PPE such as gloves and gowns should be worn throughout the cleaning and disinfection process. Daily disinfection should take place routinely, especially to high touch surfaces. Don't know exactly which touch-points are hotspots? Here's our free Pandemic Disinfection Checklist.

3. Notify Potentially Exposed Co-Workers without sharing identity of positive case

• Retrace the employee's steps and communicate with staff who were potentially exposed. If co-workers were in contact with the infected individual a few days before positive diagnosis, they should get tested and/or self quarantine.

• The CDC has determined that COVID-19 exposure risk begins when someone is within 6 feet of the infected person for 15 minutes or more. Also noting that infected people can spread the virus 48 hours before the onset of symptoms.

4. Determine when employee can return, not relying on testing alone

• The CDC has advised employers not to require a negative COVID test to allow an employee back to work, but instead, to follow these guidelines:
  • Those without symptoms can end isolation 10 days after testing positive
  • Those with moderate to mild symptoms can end isolation after 10 days of diagnosis, if at least 24 hours have passed without a fever and other symptoms have improved
  • Those with severe symptoms may need to continue isolation for a full 20 days or longer and consult their medical care provider for further instruction

5. Record work-related infections and educate staff

• If it's determined that the case was contracted on work premises, employers must record COVID-19 cases on their OSHA 300 logs, but determining whether a case is work-related is often challenging.
• Communicating with employees on a regular cadence regarding how to minimize transmission is important. Staying home when feeling ill, except to receive medical care, should be encouraged. Staff members should also inform management if a member of their household has fallen ill. Leverage videoconferencing and re-design the workspace to accommodate for social distancing. Keep stock filled with tissues, masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes readily available to employees and encourage regular hand-washing.