COVID-19 FAQ

The public health emergency for COVID-19 has been lifted; however, this does not mean that all COVID-19 rules and regulations are null and void. COVID-19 is still considered a communicable disease and we must follow the CDC, OSHA, CMS, and MGMC COVID-19 subcommittee rules and regulations.

Yes, if we reach a high level of COVID-19 positive patients in the hospital or if there is a surge of COVID-19 hospitalized patients in one week, all staff may be required to mask. You will be notified if/when this happens.

The COVID-19 subcommittee continues to monitor COVID-19 hospitalization rates and employee rates. If a significant increase occurs over several weeks, unvaccinated individuals may be asked to mask again.

• Masking is required while at work if you have any respiratory symptoms.
• If a department has 10% or more of their staff test positive for COVID-19, they will need to mask for 10 days from the 10% positivity rate date.
• COVID Exposure: May work as long as asymptomatic. Mask for 10 days from last known exposure.

The unvaccinated do not have to mask unless they are in a department that requires masking due to a high incidence of COVID-19 positive employees.

Being within 6 feet of a person that has COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes in 24 hours and the individual was not wearing the recommended mask means you may have been exposed to COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations are:

If you are symptomatic, you should test for COVID-19 immediately. If you test negative, you should test again 48 hours after the 1^st negative test, for a total of at least 2 tests. Please wear a mask if you display symptoms.

If you have a negative result on the second test and you are still concerned that you could have COVID-19, you may choose to test again 48 hours after the second test.  Consider contacting your medical provider for further testing if you continue to have symptoms of COVID-19.

If you are asymptomatic (no symptoms), you should test for COVID-19 five days after a recent known or suspected exposure. You can work during this timeframe but will have to wear a mask for 10 days from the exposure date.

Most pharmacies and your provider’s office should carry the vaccine. 

STEP 1: General respiratory etiquette.  If you have cold/respiratory symptoms, put a mask on and practice good hand hygiene. If you are concerned about the symptoms you are having, proceed to the next step. 

STEP 2: Do you have any of the following COVID-19 symptoms? 

• Loss of taste and/or smell with no other explanation.
  and/or two or more of the following:
• Fever of 100.4 F or greater
• New/unexplained cough
• Chills
• New/worsening sore throat
• Shortness of breath
• New/worsening congestion
• Fatigue
• Headache
• New/worsening GI symptoms

If you said “yes” to the question above, please proceed to the next step. 

STEP 3: You are suspected to have COVID -19 due to the symptoms you are having. What do you do next?

1. Contact your leader or Employee Health to report symptoms.
2. Do not come into work.
3. Take a Covid-19 antigen home test.  If negative, retest in 48 hours. 
4. If both tests are negative, you may come back to work.
5. If you seek medical attention for your symptoms, one negative PCR test is sufficient.
6. If you test positive, proceed to the next step.

STEP 4: You have COVID-19, now what?

1. Remain off work for 5 days upon symptom onset. Contact Employee Health to help calculate your timeline.
2. You may return to work on Day 6 if you are fever-free for 24 hours without fever reducing medications and your symptoms have vastly improved.
3. Upon returning to work, a regular mask must be worn from days 6-10.