October 5, 2020 - As the fight against COVID-19 continues, and everyone tries to move forward with life as best they can under the current circumstances, differing opinions have a tendancy to arise which can at times contradict facts.
Shelby County Today reached out to Dr. Florencio Singson, Shelby County Local Health Authority, about what the proper course of action is in relation to COVID-19.
Dr. Singson offered recommendations for the public at large, businesses, and local government as to what proper protocols are when a positive case is discovered.
"If an employee appears to have COVID-19 symptoms, they should be immediately separated and sent home. Symptoms include, but are not limited to, fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, body ache, headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea. One should take into consideration that symptoms from seasonal allergies and other respiratory infections can overlap with COVID-19.
"For the majority of cases, the business does not need to close the facility. If it has been less than 7 days since the sick employee has been in the facility, close off any areas used for prolonged periods of time by the sick person. The business should wait 24 hours or longer before cleaning and disinfecting the area to minimize potential exposure to respiratory droplets. If it has been more than 7 days since the sick employee was in the facility, additional cleaning and disinfection is not necessary. The business should follow CDC cleaning and disinfection recommendations.
"Determine which employees may have been exposed to the virus and take appropriate precautions."
Dr. Singson was asked, if it’s realized someone has been around a positive case, what would be the proper proactive course of action for that individual to take?
"You should identify and track people who were exposed to the individual with confirmed COVID-19. Those directly exposed should be immediately quarantined to prevent the spread of the virus that can happen before a person knows that they are sick. Healthy individuals without symptoms can be carriers of the virus and unknowingly spreading the virus. People who are quarantined should stay home, separate themselves from other people and family members, monitor their health, if they have symptoms for COVID-19 then call or notify their physician."
When you have tested positive for COVID-19, it is important that you stay home. Most people with COVID-19 will be able to recover at home. Once you have completed the quarantine and are without symptoms, there is no need to be tested to return to the workplace.
We also asked Dr. Singson, if an individual has received a positive test, once they complete their quarantine time, should they get retested to confirm a negative result?
"Most people to do not require testing to decide when they can be around others. However, depending on the situation, your healthcare provider may recommend additional testing and will provide additional recommendations depending on the results.
"In general, you can be around others after 10 days of symptom onset and 24 hours without fever without use of fever-reducing medications and other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving. Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and does not require continued isolation.
"These recommendations do not apply to people with severe COVID-19 or with weakened immune symptoms and should follow with their health care providers for additional guidance."
