Throughout the COVID pandemic, Lake Effect has encouraged employers to follow the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance regarding COVID isolation and return to work protocols to ensure individuals do not return to work prematurely or jeopardize the health and safety of others. On March 1, 2024, the CDC updated the isolation guidance for those with COVID-19.
CDC guidance now recommends that individuals treat COVID-19 just as they would other respiratory viruses such as the flu and RSV. This means the CDC no longer advises a minimum five-day isolation period for those with COVID. Rather, the CDC’s new guidance recommends individuals now stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours 1) after their symptoms have begun to improve and 2) after their fever has ended without fever-reducing medication. To address instances in which individuals may still be contagious, the CDC recommends that, when leaving home and returning to work, individuals still take some preventive measures “such as taking more steps for cleaner air, enhancing hygiene practices, wearing a well-fitting mask, keeping a distance from others, and/or getting tested for respiratory viruses.” The CDC notes that “[e]nhanced precautions are especially important to protect those most at risk for severe illness, including those over 65 and people with weakened immune systems.”
Please contact Lake Effect if you need assistance updating your workplace preventive COVID policies to reflect these important changes.
Lake Effect is here to answer your questions about COVID-related updates from federal, state, and local authorities. Please watch our blogs and emails for updates on important legal and HR developments, as well as discussions of how compliance meets culture. To dive into these issues, contact us at info@le-hrlaw.com or 1-844-333-5253.
