The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is no longer recommending a test-based strategy for healthcare personnel who had COVID-19 and are trying to return to work. 

The change was a part of an update this week to its return-to-work criteria for healthcare professionals (HCP) with the disease. The CDC said it’s no longer recommending the strategy because, in a majority of cases, “it results in excluding from work HCP who continue to shed detectable [COVID-19] but are no longer infectious.”

The CDC is still recommending a symptom-based strategy for returning workers. The criteria includes having workers wait at least 10 days since symptoms first appear, at least 24 hours have passed since their last fever without the use of medications, and symptoms have improved. 

Read updated guidance here.

Questions?

Contact:

Laura Hofmann, MSN, RN – Director of Clinical and Nursing Facility Regulatory Services
c: 425-231-4804