1. Worker protections are established in state isolation and quarantine statutes, and HCWs who have experienced a high-risk exposure cannot be forced to return to work during the quarantine period.

How long is the quarantine period for people who are exposed to someone diagnosed with COVID-19?

• Stay home for 14 days after the date of their last known exposure to a person diagnosed with COVID-19. The day of exposure counts as day 0. The day after their last known exposure is day 1 of the 14-day period.

When should healthcare personnel take a COVID-19 test after exposure?

If these HCP continue to work, they should be tested immediately (but not earlier than 2 days after the initial exposure) and, if negative, again every 3 to 5 days with the final test occurring 5 to 7 days after their last exposure.

If HCP develop SARS-CoV-2 infection following their exposure, they should be excluded from work until they meet the return to work criteria for HCP with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Work exclusion and testing of asymptomatic exposed HCP who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection in the prior 3 months might not be necessary

Can employees that have been exposed to the coronavirus disease go to their office?

The guidance advises that employers may permit workers who have been exposed to COVID-19, but remain without symptoms, to continue to work, provided they adhere to additional safety precautions.

What are the recommendations for community health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic?

• Wear masks at all times in the community. Most people with COVID-19, including children, have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, and using masks prevents people who might not realize they are infected from spreading the virus to others.
• Stay at least 2 meters away from other people, when possible.
• Meet community members outdoors, or in well-ventilated areas.
• Practice no-contact greetings, such as waving, bowing, or head nodding.

Healthcare workers is NOT exempted from quarantine | holidays |

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What are some recommendations for COVID-19 patients' caregivers?

Caregivers should stay home and monitor their health for COVID-19 symptoms while caring for the person who is sick. Symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath but other symptoms may be present as well. Trouble breathing is a more serious warning sign that you need medical attention.

Caregivers should continue to stay home after care is complete. Caregivers can leave their home 14 days after their last close contact with the person who is sick (based on the time it takes to develop illness), or 14 days after the person who is sick meets the criteria to end home isolation.

Use CDC's self-checker tool to help you make decisions about seeking appropriate medical care. If you are having trouble breathing, call 911. Call your doctor or emergency room and tell them your symptoms before going in. They will tell you what to do.

What are some steps my employer should take to maintain a healthy work environment during the COVID-19 pandemic?

⁃ Move the electronic payment terminal/credit card reader farther away from the cashier in order to increase the distance between the customer and the cashier, if possible.
⁃ Use verbal announcements on the loudspeaker and place signage throughout the establishment, at entrances, in restrooms, and in breakrooms to remind employees and customers to maintain distances of 6 feet from others.
⁃ Place visual cues such as floor decals, colored tape, or signs to indicate to customers where they should stand during check out.
⁃ Shift primary stocking activities to off-peak or after hours when possible to reduce contact with customers.
⁃ Remove or rearrange chairs and tables or add visual cue marks in employee break rooms to support social distancing practices between employees. Identify alternative areas such as closed customer seating spaces to accommodate overflow volume.

Is an employee able to return to work if they were exposed to COVID-19 but didn't show any symptoms?

Reintegrating exposed workers who are not experiencing any symptoms and who have not tested positive back into onsite operations carries considerable risk to other workers because many people with COVID-19 are asymptomatic but can still spread disease, and tests are imperfect.

Should I get tested after a close contact with someone who has COVID-19 if I am fully vaccinated?

• If you've had close contact with someone who has COVID-19, you should get tested 3-5 days after your exposure, even if you don't have symptoms. You should also wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until your test result is negative.

What should I do if I've been exposed to a person with COVID-19 and I have fully recovered from a COVID-19 infection in the previous 90 days?

Someone who tested positive for COVID-19 with a viral test within the previous 90 days and has subsequently recovered and remains without COVID-19 symptoms does not need to quarantine. However, close contacts with prior COVID-19 infection in the previous 90 days should:
• Wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days after exposure.
• Monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and isolate immediately if symptoms develop.
• Consult with a healthcare professional for testing recommendations if new symptoms develop.

What should you do if you have been around a person with COVID-19?

For Anyone Who Has Been Around a Person with COVID-19

Anyone who has had close contact with someone with COVID-19 should stay home for 14 days after their last exposure to that person.

What steps to take after close contact with someone with COVID-19?

• Stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.
• Watch for fever (100.4◦F), cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19
• If possible, stay away from others, especially people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19

What should I do if my employees are exposed to COVID-19?

The most protective approach for the workplace is for exposed employees (close contacts) to quarantine for 14 days, telework if possible, and self-monitor for symptoms. This approach maximally reduces post-quarantine transmission risk and is the strategy with the greatest collective experience at present.

Should I quarantine if I had been in contact with someone with COVID-19?

Anyone who has had close contact with someone with COVID-19 should stay home for 14 days after their last exposure to that person.

Should I get tested for COVID-19 if I was in close contact with a positive case?

•Viral testing is recommended for close contacts of persons with COVID-19.

How long should I quarantine if I'm asymptomatic with a positive COVID-19 test?

If you continue to have no symptoms, you can be with others after 10 days have passed since you had a positive viral test for COVID-19.

If you develop symptoms after testing positive, follow the guidance above for “I think or know I had COVID-19, and I had symptoms.”

What should vaccinated people do if they come in contact with someone who has COVID-19?

Fully vaccinated people who have come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 should be tested 3-5 days following the date of their exposure and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result. They should isolate if they test positive.

Can someone test negative and later test positive on a viral test for COVID-19?

Yes, it is possible. You may test negative if the sample was collected early in your infection and test positive later during this illness. You could also be exposed to COVID-19 after the test and get infected then. Even if you test negative, you still should take steps to protect yourself and others. See Testing for Current Infection for more information.

How long does it take for COVID-19 symptoms to start showing?

People with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms – from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. If you have fever, cough, or other symptoms, you might have COVID-19.

Am I considered a close contact for COVID-19 if I was wearing a mask?

A person is still considered a close contact even if they were wearing a mask while they were around someone with COVID-19. You can call, text, or email your contacts. By letting your close contacts know they may have been exposed to COVID-19, you are helping to protect everyone.

Do I need to quarantine while waiting for my COVID-19 screening test result?

People without symptoms and without known exposure to COVID-19 do not need to quarantine while awaiting screening test results. If a person tests positive on a screening test and is referred for a confirmatory test, they should quarantine until they receive the results of their confirmatory test.

Who do I do if my employer refuses to provide me sick leave during the COVID-19 pandemic?

If you believe that your employer is covered and is improperly refusing you paid sick leave under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act, the Department encourages you to raise and try to resolve your concerns with your employer. Regardless of whether you discuss your concerns with your employer, if you believe your employer is improperly refusing you paid sick leave, you may call 1-866-4US-WAGE (1-866-487-9243).

What should an employer do to help prevent COVID-19 spread?

If an employee, customer, or a visitor in the workplace has symptoms consistent with COVID-19, self-reports a COVID-19 diagnosis, or close contact with someone with confirmed or probable COVID-19, an employer should quickly take action by conducting workplace hazard evaluation and prevention activities.

How to protect employees from the COVID-19?

Remind employees that people may be able to spread COVID-19 even if they do not show symptoms. Consider all close interactions (within 6 feet) with employees, clients, and others as a potential source of exposure. Discourage handshaking, hugs, and fist bumps.

Encourage the use of outdoor seating areas and social distancing for any small-group activities such as lunches, breaks, and meetings.

For employees who commute to work using public transportation or ride sharing, consider offering the following support: If feasible, offer employees incentives to use forms of transportation that minimize close contact with others (e.g., biking, walking, driving or riding by car either alone or with household members)

How can an employer protect employees from COVID-19 in regards to hand washing?

• Remind employees to wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, they should use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Provide hand sanitizer, tissues and no touch waste baskets at the cash registers and in the restrooms.