Reminder of COVID guidance for returning to work for EEAST staff:
- Staff that are positive themselves can take LFTs on day 5 and day 6 (the first day of symptoms or the day of the asymptomatic positive is day zero) and return to work on day 6 if both results are negative and the staff member has not had a temperature for 48 hours (without medication) and are well enough to return. If they continue to test positive on LFT they should remain away from the workplace and continue daily testing. If 2 consecutive tests are negative (up to day 10) they can return at that point return. If still testing positive on day 10, they should remain at home and continue to test daily, at this stage only 1 negative result is required to return to work. If they continue to test positive on day 14, they can return on 15 regardless, as long as they are well enough to do so.
Line Managers should speak to their staff on day 6 to ascertain whether or not they are able to return. If they do return before day 10, the line manager should complete an early return risk assessment and forward it to the covid team (EEASTcovidleads@eastamb.nhs.uk).
- Staff who are symptomatic themselves and receive a negative PCR result can return to work immediately.
- Staff in contact with a positive (household or other) that have had a PCR test will require an isolation exemption risk assessment (IERA) to return to work. However, as long as they meet the criteria of being fully vaccinated, have a negative PCR (or LFT only if positive within 90 days) and complete LFTs daily for 10 days, they can return to work immediately and do not have to wait for the IERA to be completed and sent before they return. The IERA can be done retrospectively.
- All staff can return to their normal roles with the exception of AOC staff that are high risk should work in pink rooms only and staff on PTS should not transport immunosuppressed patients on routine work.
- Staff who should be on shift when their negative PCR result is received are expected to contact their manager and, where appropriate, should attend the workplace for the remainder of their shift.
Published 29th March 2022
