On August 24, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released new guidance for testing for the Coronavirus. The new guidance suggests that close contact with an infected person doesn’t necessarily mean that testing is necessary. The CDC recommends that the local and state health department guidance be used in determining if testing is necessary. This adds to the confusion for employers in developing protocols and policy for employee safety. The CDC does offer a self-checker for Coronavirus symptoms which can be found here.
The CDC, on August 21, 2020, also updated travel guidance, leaving mandatory quarantines after travel to individual states by no longer recommending a 14-day self-quarantine after domestic or international travel, even when travelling to and/or from high risk areas. Travel guidance and maps showing risk by states and/or countries can be found here.
It is recommended that local educational agencies rely upon local and state health department guidance to ensure policies are up to date as well as to manage self-quarantine guidance and return-to-work policies when employees travel during the pandemic. It is also important to monitor changes in quarantine guidelines as they relate to the management of employee leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.