What to do if a colleague tests positive for the Corona Virus?

We have received a number of queries regarding:

• The correct processes to be followed when a colleague tests positive?
• What are the disinfection requirements when there has been a positive case?
• Who needs to test?
• When one is required to go into quarantine?

In terms of the COVID-19 Occupational Health and Safety Measures of the Disaster Management Act, employers are required to have protocols for when employees present, or inform the employer of symptoms for COVID-19.

The employer is required to implement a process for the daily monitoring of symptoms. This needs to occur daily, prior to employees being permitted to work in order to ascertain whether they have any of the observable symptoms associated with COVID-19, such as fever, cough, sore throat, redness of eyes, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing. Employees are required, by law, to report whether they suffer from any of the additional COVID-19 symptoms, such as; body aches, loss of smell, loss of taste, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fatigue, weakness or tiredness and, they are required by law, to immediately inform the employer if they experience any of the aforementioned symptoms while working, or even before attending at the workplace upon screening, before reporting for duty.

If an employee presents with or informs the employer of the existence of symptoms of COVID-19, they must not be permitted to enter the workplace or to report for work. If an employee, while at work, presents with or informs the employer of the existence of symptoms linked to COVID-19, then they must immediately be isolated, provided with a surgical mask and arrangements made for them to be transported for self-isolation, or for the purposes of a medical examination or testing.

The employee’s workstation and areas that he/she could have been in contact with, will need to be disinfected. The extent of cleaning either where there is a suspected case, or where an employee has tested positive, will depend on the number of people that could have been infected and the extent to which the employee moved around the workplace. If the employee ‘passed through’ the workplace without touching anything and without spending much time in face-to-face communication with other employees, then simple cleaning measures are appropriate. However, if they spent a lot of time in the workplace, touched and handled many objects and surfaces and had close contact with many people, then more comprehensive cleaning of the environment would be necessary. If an employee tests positive, all areas where the employee worked or visited in the work site should be thoroughly cleaned with soap and water and wiped down with a diluted bleach solution or a 70% alcohol solution.

Apart from attending to the affected employee and disinfecting the workplace, the employer is also obligated to conduct an assessment or a workplace investigation, in order to:

• determine whether there could have been any transmission to other employees, or the members of the public.
• determine the level of exposure to other employees or members of the public so as to assess whether they need to be quarantined, tested or not.
• be able to prevent a re-occurrence and to take all other appropriate measures to prevent possible transmission to other employees or members of the public. This is especially important where the virus was occupationally acquired or transmitted.

The employer needs to keep records of each case investigated for COVID-19, however, the Department of Health, the Department of Employment and Labour, as well as the NICD need to be informed only where there have been positive cases.

Where an employee has exhibited or reported symptoms associated with the corona virus, the employer is not obliged to test everyone in the business, but in the event that an employee tests positive, fellow employees and members of the public who may be at risk, should be informed and referred for testing or self-quarantine, depending on whether they have symptoms or not and on whether they are vulnerable employees or have comorbidities or not. In order to do this, the employer will need to have protocols in place for tracking and tracing all persons who may have been in contact with a person who has tested positive for the virus.

The employer is not compelled to cover the cost of any private or public testing fees incurred.

Employees who have tested positive as well as those employees who are under quarantine or in self-isolation need to be supported and measures need to be in place to ensure they are not discriminated against.

Although all cases and information regarding employees who have had exposure or who have tested positive to the virus need to be handled with the utmost sensitivity, employees need to be aware that where one has tested positive for COVID-19, information may be shared in order to protect public health and as is required for legislative reporting purposes.

The assessment of exposure and recommended actions will be as follows:

• If groups of employees have tested positive, the whole or the relevant shift or department may have to go into quarantine or be asked to monitor for Covid-19 symptoms.
• When one has been in close contact, i.e. less than 1 meter for more than 15 minutes with the positive employee, and displays Covid-19 symptoms, if they are considered vulnerable employees or have comorbidities then they should be tested. However, if they are vulnerable employees but do not have comorbidities, they should be sent home for self-isolation.

• When one has been in close contact with the positive employee and either was not wearing PPE or where the PPE was inadequate or malfunctioned, but has no Covid-19 symptoms, then they should be sent home to self-quarantine for 14 days from the last date of contact with the positive employee. These employees should be tested if they start to show symptoms or where they have comorbidities or fall within the category of vulnerable employees.
• Even where an employee has tested positive for the virus some employees may be required to continue working, but will be required to self-monitor for 14 days, and If they begin to show symptoms, they should be managed accordingly. This will be in the case of:
  • employees who were in close contact with the positive employee but were wearing PPE and have no Covid-19 symptoms, or
  • employees who have not been in close contact with the positive employee and who do not have Covid-19 symptoms.

You may access more information on these directives from:

https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/202004/43257gon479.pdf

#MISAONTHEMOVE #MISACARES