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New process may shorten quarantine for asymptomatic staff critical to patient care operations

Quarantined, asymptomatic staff who are critical to patient care operations may be able to return to work two days earlier.

The Asymptomatic Quarantined Employee: Early Return to Work COVID-19 Testing Process provides guidance on whether asymptomatic staff could be eligible for COVID-19 testing on:

  • Day 6 of a required quarantine for a single exposure, or
  • Day 16 of a required quarantine due to a positive housemate

The early return-to-work process applies to staff at Hershey Medical Center, Holy Spirit Medical Center, St. Joseph Medical Center and Penn State Health Medical Group ― Academic Practice and Community Practice divisions. To be considered for testing to return to work early, an asymptomatic employee would need to have leadership request a review of the situation from the designated entity’s executive leadership. If approved, the testing would have to be coordinated with the designated entity’s Employee Health Department.

For detailed guidance about the approval process, see Asymptomatic Quarantined Employee: Early Return to Work COVID-19 Testing Process.

Asymptomatic employees whose absence would not negatively affect patient care operations should completing the full quarantine period until cleared to return to work by Employee Health, in accordance with the Penn State Health and College of Medicine Interim Employee Travel, Quarantine, and Isolation Policy:

  • Nine days of quarantine following a single positive COVID-19 exposure
  • Nineteen days of quarantine following exposure to a COVID-19-positive housemate, respectively

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