Guidelines
HCWs with symptoms or exposure

HCWs with symptoms or exposure

Guidance for Healthcare Workers with Respiratory or Viral Symptoms

  • All healthcare workers with possible symptoms of COVID-19 meet criteria for testing
  • If you develop symptoms while working, mask if you aren't already wearing one, perform hand hygiene, finish your task, and then isolate and seek testing (after at least 12h of symptoms to improve sensitivity)
  • Isolate until test results are available (goal within 48h)

Guidance for Healthcare Workers with Confirmed Exposure to COVID-19

You will be contacted by Occupational Health, Infection Control staff or Public Health. Depending on the level of risk of the exposure including the PPE you were using, you may be able to keep working with a mask, or you may be asked to self-quarantine

For more information, see this document

Temporary COVID-19 Employee Exposure Process

Test results for health care workers: instructions BCCDC COVID-19 Negative Results line at 1-833-707-2792; open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., seven days a week

Testing sites can be found at

If you develop symptoms, seek testing, and stop working as described above

Guidance for Healthcare Workers Coming Back to Work After a COVID-19 Diagnosis

Medical staff members who are immunocompetent who test positive for COVID-19 can discontinue isolation when all of the following conditions are met:

  1. Ten (10) days have passed since onset of symptoms
  2. Afebrile for at least 24 hours without use of anti-pyretics, and
  3. Respiratory symptoms, except for a dry cough, have resolved

A repeat swab is not required provided the above conditions have been met

Guidance needs to be individualized for immunocompromised healthcare workers: please contact MHO