VIDOH Issues COVID-19 Workplace Guidance

Workplace guidance has been issued by Territorial Medical Director Dr. Tai Hunte-Ceasar as the territory transitions to endemicity with COVID-19 disease.

Endemicity means there may always be some level of COVID-19 circulating within the community, according to a press release announcing the guidance. The department is now aligned with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for precautionary recommendations for isolation and quarantine after COVID-19 infection or exposure, it said.

The following recommendations should be followed by your organization and used as guidance for your employees, the release stated. These recommendations include:

Isolation / Positive Cases

If found COVID-19 positive by a viral test you must isolate despite your vaccination status. Day zero of isolation is the date of the positive test.

Home tests should be confirmed by a second test collected at the department or a private laboratory.

Further, everyone with a positive test result is to isolate for at least five full days and remain isolated until you are feeling better and symptoms are improving. If you have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications, you may end isolation as soon as six days after your positive viral test.

Take precautions for a complete 10 days and wear a mask during the entire 10 days, especially if you are around someone who is immunocompromised.

The department stressed that you do not have to repeat a test after ending isolation and this should not be a requirement to return to work.

Quarantining/Close Contacts

Quarantining is for anyone exposed to a positive COVID-19 case and it has three distinct categories:

If you are not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines:

• Quarantine (stay home and away from others) for five days,

• Wear a mask at home around others,

• Watch for symptoms for 10 days, and

• Everyone in this group should get tested at least five days from their exposure even if symptoms do not develop.

• Wear a mask for the entire 10 days regardless of the presence of symptoms.

If you are up to date on COVID-19 vaccines (meaning that you have been vaccinated and boosted when eligible):

• No quarantine is needed unless symptoms exist or develop.