CDC Says 3 Days Is Now Enough for Staff Respiratory Outage

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in new guidance for healthcare personnel with a suspected or confirmed viral respiratory infection said those infected need to stay out of work at least three days from symptom onset.

This makes a sharp reduction from the previous 7-day restriction with negative testing and 10 days without testing.

Read the entire guidance here.

Exact language from the guidance includes –

Restrict from work until:

• At least 3 days have passed from symptom onset** (or from their first positive respiratory virus test if asymptomatic throughout their infection), AND

• They are fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of antipyretics, AND

• Symptoms are improving, AND

• They feel well enough to return to work.
  

  Wear source control upon return to work until at least the end of day 7, where the day of symptom onset (or first positive test if asymptomatic throughout their infection) is day 0***.
  

⁺ This recommendation is intended to apply to respiratory viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza, rhinovirus, human metapneumovirus, and additional adenoviruses, endemic coronaviruses, enteroviruses, and others. This recommendation is NOT intended to apply to viral respiratory pathogens addressed in other sections of this guideline (i.e., measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, cytomegalovirus, parvovirus B19, and viral conjunctivitis) or other interim guidance (e.g., Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus).

^* Where the last day of exposure is day 0, making the first possible day of working without source control day 6.

^** Where the day of symptom onset is day 0, making the first possible day of return to work on day 4.

^*** Making the first possible day of working without source control day 8.

Questions or comments? Contact Patrick Connole at pconnole@parkplacelive.com.