The number of positive COVID-19 test results in the County
stands at 99 as of yesterday. So far, 799 tests have been conducted and 600 of
those have been found to be negative. As you have seen in the national
and local news, medical experts expect the number of positive test results to
grow over the coming weeks as the availability of testing increases and as the
virus spreads. As testing becomes more available to the general public
who are not seriously ill, and as the ongoing spread of the virus occurs, some
County staff will test positive.
I want to share with you the manner in which the Public
Health Department (PHD) will be interacting with our Department and our staff
when a DSS employee tests positive for COVID-19. Read on to learn more.
The PHD will notify our Department's HR
manager (Judy) when they receive a lab result confirming a positive test result
for an employee in our Department. Judy will provide the PHD with the name of the employee's supervisor. The PHD will work with the supervisor
to identify close contacts in the Department, and then the PHD will communicate with
those people identified as having had close contact with the person who tested
positive. It is possible, and even likely, that the employee who
tested positive will learn of his or her results before the PHD does. However, the PHD cannot take action until the PHD has received official laboratory results.
Due to patient confidentiality laws, I do not expect that
those being contacted will be told who they were in contact with that has
tested positive, but rather that they have been identified as someone who had
close contact with a person who has tested positive. The staff in our
Department who need to know the person’s identity in order to facilitate the PHD's communication with the close contacts will not be sharing this information with others
and will treat it in a confidential manner.
PHD will
provide the following guidance for those determined to have come into close
contact with a fellow employee who has tested positive:
- If you are asymptomatic, you can still come to work if you wear a mask and self-monitor for 14 days or you can self-isolate and telecommute during your self-isolation if telecommuting is an option.
- If you are
symptomatic, you need to self-isolate at home. When symptoms are
gone, you can return to work 7 days after onset of symptoms and 3
days of being fever-free and symptom free without use of fever
reducers.
Because of their workload, the PHD is urging Departments not
to contact the PHD Disease Control unit. If there is a case in our
Department, the PHD will notify the supervisor as quickly as they are able
after receiving the lab result.
We can all help flatten the curve by maintaining physical distancing as much as possible while carrying out our duties, washing our hands
frequently, and limiting our travels to only essential activities.
Thank you for continuing to serve the most vulnerable in our
community during these challenging times. Our community needs us now more
than ever.
With a heart full of gratitude,
Daniel.