November 18, 2021
Incident Command #207: COVID-19 Employee Self-Attestation
Plus, Vaccination after COVID-19 Diagnosis and South Urgent Care Hours
Employee COVID-19 Self-Attestation and Work Practice Reminders
Any previous COVID-19 tip sheets and guidance have been integrated into policies. Self-attestation is now integrated into the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) Exposure Control Plan policy.Employee self-attestation:
- In compliance with CDC symptom screening, all staff, students, volunteers, and vendors will self-monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms and will stay home or leave work if sick.
- For hourly employees and volunteers, clocking in for your shift will signify attesting to the absence of COVID-19 symptoms.
- Exempt employees, vendors, contractors, students, or faculty are expected to self-screen and are attesting to being symptom free before entering a facility.
- At our long-term care facilities, employee screening remains in place with taking temperature and sign/date form or completion of an electronic form via QR code.
COVID-19 employee work practices:Health care workers (HCW) include all employees of CentraCare and its affiliates, including leadership, physicians and other providers, members of the Medical Staff, clinical and non-clinical staff, volunteers, board members, students, and contract staff.
- A HCW should not present to work and should call EHS if they have tested positive or are suspected to have COVID-19.
- A HCW shall not present to work or should immediately remove themselves from work if they, or a household member, have any of the following symptoms of COVID-19: fever (greater than 100 degrees F), new or worsening cough, new or worsening shortness of breath, chills, new loss of tase or smell, sore throat, muscle aches, headache, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting not otherwise explained. The employee should call EHS for further direction.
- A HCW shall not present to work and should call EHS if they have had a known exposure to COVID-19.
If you may have been exposed, have symptoms or tested positive for COVID-19, please reference the COVID-19 Employee Health Work Practices policy. Previous EHS guidance has integrated into this new policy.Employee Health Services (EHS): Call 320-255-5634 or email Employeehealthservices-all@centracare.com. Visit the COVID-19 Resource Center or above-mentioned policies for more details.
How Soon Can You Be Vaccinated After A COVID-19 Diagnosis?
After a COVID-19 diagnosis, you may wonder how long you need to wait until you can get a first COVID-19 vaccination, booster or second dose in a series.
According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a 90-day waiting period is not necessary, even for patients hospitalized for COVID-19. You can obtain the vaccination as soon as you complete your isolation period and your symptoms are improving. This means it has been 10 days since you felt sick (or 10 days since you got tested if you do not have symptoms), and you feel better and have not had a fever for at least 24 hours.
However, the one exception is for patients being treated with monoclonal antibodies. These patients should delay vaccination for 90 days.People should consider a vaccination after a COVID-19 diagnosis. We do not know how long immunity lasts and how immunity might vary depending on the severity of the illness. We also do not know how variants may affect people who had COVID-19.
Please share this information with your COVID-19 patients. If patients have questions about the timing of vaccination, have them check with their primary provider.
South Urgent Care Temporary Change of Hours
Due to limited patient volumes and staff shortages, South Urgent Care will reduce its hours of operation starting Nov. 15, 2021.
CLOSED: Monday-Friday
OPEN: Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Decreasing hours at South Urgent Care allows our staff to assist at Plaza Urgent Care where they are needed most and increases our capacity to serve those patients. Normal weekday hours are expected to resume in early 2022. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.