On July 3, the state Department of Health (DOH) released guidance on revised protocols for home care and other health care personnel to return to work following COVID-19 exposure or infection.
The guidance outlines the conditions under which entities may allow staff to return to work. Each of the bullets below have corresponding conditions to be met in order for health care personnel to return to work:
- Entities may allow health care personnel who have been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19, or who have traveled internationally in the past 14 days, whether health care providers or other facility staff, to work.
- Entities may allow health care personnel who have traveled in the past 14 days to a state with a significant degree of community spread of COVID-19 to work (see DOH’s travel guidance).
- Entities may allow health care personnel with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, whether health care providers or other facility staff, to continue to work.
In addition, the guidance includes that health care personnel who are furloughed due to close contact with a known positive case, or because they do not meet the above conditions for returning to work, may qualify for paid sick leave benefits, and further stipulates that their employers can provide them with a letter confirming this, which can be used to demonstrate eligibility for the benefit.
General questions or comments about this advisory can be sent to icp@health.ny.gov.