2023 COVID Reporting Updates
With many COVID guidelines and emergency requirements ending over the last few months, we find ourselves with some confusion over what we still need to comply with and what is optional. Most emergency declarations at both the federal and state levels have ended or, if extended, we are approaching the proposed ending dates soon. For instance, in early April most healthcare universal masking requirements will end.
One guideline we are still currently working under is the reporting of all COVID positive cases and exposures by our staff. This remains in effect and if you or one of your staff report an illness with COVID symptoms or an exposure to a confirmed positive case of COVID, you will need to continue to report this to the Leaves and Safety emails. HR and Safety and Risk Management (S&RM) will respond back with our illness questionnaire and be able to assess the exposure or illness and provide guidance based on the staff's answers to the questions. Once we have this information we can also provide a proposed return to work date of when the ill staff may be able to return to work.
Currently, the reporting guideline is to remain in place at least until early May 2023 when it will be extended or end, we will update accordingly for any changes.
One thing to be aware of as we are seeing direct effects of this; is if you have been vaccinated consider keeping up to date on your booster doses. Many recent cases of COVID that our staff has reported are staff who are unvaccinated or it has been a year or longer since the last dose, initial or booster, of the vaccine. This remains a tool to help you keep your resistance to COVID up-to-date and milder effects if you contract COVID. Your local county health department can provide current information on vaccination sites and availability.
Kitsap County: https://kitsappublichealth.org/
Pierce County: https://www.tpchd.org/
Thank you for your help to keep you, our families and coworkers, and our members safe and healthy.
🗓 Posted on March 28, 2023 by Eric Kuhnau, Safety & Risk Director