Return to Work Guidance, Vaccines, Tests

Return to Work Guidance

On January 4, 2022, Department of Health (DOH/the Department) issued health care worker return-to-work guidance, which supersedes the December 24, 2021 guidance.

As we seek clarification on some finer points from the Department, HCP is alerting members that:

  • The health care worker document on January 4, 2022 was released in close proximity to the general public guidelines and may have been overlooked.
  • The testing requirements for exposed persons may be difficult to achieve. (Note that earlier DOH guidelines indicated that testing was not required to return to work.)
  • Health care providers are instructed to follow CDC guidelines in most instances of infection and exposure except in the case of infected, vaccinated individuals (boosted or not) where contingency staffing conditions exist. For these workers, the December 24 guidance applies.

The following chart was provided in the January 4, 2022 DOH guidelines for health care workers:

 

Work Restriction for Healthcare Personnel

 

Vacc

Status

Conventional

Contingency

Crisis

 

 

Infected

Fully vacc

+

boosted

CDC Conventional Strategies: 10 days; or 7 days with negative test; asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and improving

NYSDOH Shortening Isolation: 5 days, asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and improving

Facilities contact NYSDOH and follow CDC Crisis Strategies

Fully vacc,

Not

boosted

CDC Conventional Strategies: 10 days; or 7 days with negative test; asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and improving

NYSDOH Shortening Isolation: 5 days, asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and improving

Facilities contact NYSDOH and follow CDC Crisis Strategies

Not fully vacc

CDC Conventional Strategies: 10 days; or 7 days with negative test; asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and improving

CDC Conventional Strategies: 10 days; or 7 days with negative test; asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and improving

Facilities contact NYSDOH and follow CDC Crisis Strategies

 

 

Exposed

Fully vacc

+

Boosted

CDC Conventional Strategies: No work restrictions, negative test on days 2 and 5-7

CDC Contingency Strategies: No work restrictions

CDC Crisis Strategies: No work restrictions

Fully

Vacc

NOT boosted

CDC Conventional Strategies: 10 days, or 7 days with negative test

CDC Contingency Strategies: No

work restrictions with negative tests on days 1, 2, 3, and 5-7

CDC Crisis Strategies: No work

restrictions (test if possible). Facilities contact NYSDOH if unable to test.

Not fully Vacc

CDC Conventional Strategies: 10 days, or 7 days with negative test

CDC Contingency Strategies: No

work restrictions with negative tests on days 1, 2, 3, and 5-7

CDC Crisis Strategies: No work

restrictions (test if possible). Facilities contact NYSDOH if unable to test.

 

Vaccinations from Foreign Countries

On January 17, 2022, the Department of Health (DOH/the Department) issued Guidance for The New York State COVID-19 Vaccination Program for Individuals 12 Years of Age or Older. This update resulted from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) information regarding vaccine recommendations, including vaccinations received outside the US.

The CDC revision was effective January 7, 2022:

  • People who received an incomplete series of a WHO COVID-19 vaccine listed for emergency use that is not FDA-approved or FDA-authorized do not need to restart a primary vaccination series in the United States.
  • They should receive a single dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at least 28 days since receipt of their most recent dose, after which they are considered fully vaccinated.

Note that recommendations for those receiving a FULL vaccination series outside the US remain unchanged. Watch for this week’s COVID-19 Update in the HCP Insider for a complete recap of vaccination recommendations.

Free At Home COVID-19 Tests Now Available from Federal Government

Visit www.covidtests.gov to place an order for 4 kits (2 tests each) per person per month. All that is needed is name, address, and email if desired for confirmation. The process takes less than a minute, and shipping is in 7 to 12 days.