The Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention (CDC) has relaxed its prior guidance on returning critical infrastructure employees to work after being potentially exposed to COVID-19 (coronavirus). The relaxed guidelines now allow critical infrastructure workers potentially exposed to COVID-19 to continue to work following exposure provided they remain symptom-free and employers implement additional precautions to protect employees and the community. The relaxed guidelines can be found here. The CDC also issued a poster that critical infrastructure employers can post in their facilities or offices, which can be found here.
The CDC advises that essential employees who are and remain asymptomatic can return to work so long as they follow additional precautions suggested by the CDC. These precautions include the following:
- Measuring the employee’s temperature and assessing symptoms prior to permitting the employee to return to work;
- Cleaning and disinfecting all areas, such as offices, bathrooms, common areas, and shared electronic equipment;
- Having the employee self-monitor under the supervision of his or her employer;
- Having the employee wear a face mask at all times while in the workplace for 14 days after last exposure; and,
- Having the employee maintain a six-foot distance from others and otherwise observe social distancing in the workplace as work duties permit.
