Ill HCWs can return 24 hours after fever subsides
Ill HCWs can return 24 hours after fever subsides
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offered additional guidance on policies related to exposed or ill health care workers:
Health care personnel who develop a fever and respiratory symptoms should be:
Instructed not to report to work, or if at work, to promptly notify their supervisor and infection control personnel/occupational health.
Excluded from work for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines.
If returning to work in areas where severely immunocompromised patients are provided care, considered for temporary reassignment or exclusion from work for 7 days from symptom onset or until the resolution of symptoms, whichever is longer. Clinical judgment should be used for personnel with only cough as a symptom, since cough after influenza infection may be prolonged and may not be an indicator of viral shedding. Health care personnel recovering from a respiratory illness may return to work with immunocompromised patients sooner if absence of 2009 H1N1 viral RNA in respiratory secretions is documented by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). Additional information on diagnostic testing for 2009 H1N1 influenza infection can be found at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu.
Reminded of the importance of practicing frequent hand hygiene (especially before and after each patient contact) and respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette after returning to work following an acute respiratory illness.
Health care personnel who develop acute respiratory symptoms without fever should be:
Allowed to continue or return to work unless assigned in areas where severely immunocompromised patients are provided care. In this case they should be considered for temporary reassignment or exclusion from work for 7 days from symptom onset or until the resolution of symptoms, whichever is longer. Clinical judgment should be used for personnel with only cough as a symptom, since cough after influenza infection may be prolonged and may not be an indicator of viral shedding. Health care personnel recovering from a respiratory illness may return to work with immunocompromised patients sooner if absence of 2009 H1N1 viral RNA in respiratory secretions is documented by rRT-PCR. Additional information on diagnostic testing for 2009 H1N1 influenza infection can be found at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu.
Reminded of the importance of practicing frequent hand hygiene (especially before and after each patient contact) and respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette after returning to work following an acute respiratory illness.
Facilities and organizations providing healthcare services should:
Ensure that sick leave policies for health care personnel (e.g., staff and contract personnel) are flexible and consistent with public health guidance and that employees are aware of the policies. (See www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/business/guidance/.)
Ensure that sick employees are able to stay home without fear of losing their jobs.
Consider offering alternative work environments as an accommodation for employees at higher risk for complications of 2009 H1N1 influenza during periods of increased influenza activity or if influenza severity increases.
Not require a doctor's note for workers with influenza to validate their illness or return to work.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offered additional guidance on policies related to exposed or ill health care workers:Subscribe Now for Access
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