In recent weeks, there has been an increase in COVID-19 infections across the US and in Maryland, including among UMMS team members. While we have not experienced an impact in hospitalizations, immunosuppressed individuals remain at risk for severe disease. To protect our patients from hospital-acquired respiratory infections, including COVID-19, please keep in mind the following guidelines, now in effect:
New Guidelines
- Based on collaboration with UMMS behavioral health leadership, at this time we are re-instituting source-control masking by team members and visitors to inpatient behavioral health locations to reduce the risk of outbreaks in this vulnerable population receiving care in a shared environment.
Existing Guidelines
- Masking by team members and visitors will continue to be required for contact with immunosuppressed patients, and upon patient request for any patient in our facilities.
- Masking will remain optional for all other patient contact and in public areas of UMMS; however, member organization infection prevention departments may direct additional team member masking in the setting of a COVID-19 cluster or outbreak.
- Team members with COVID-19 infection are required to stay out of work for 5 days. They can return to work on Day 6 as long as they are fever free, and their symptoms are improving. They should wear a mask through Day 10. Please note that CDC guidance for health care personnel is different from CDC guidance for the general public.
- Team members who have been recently exposed to COVID-19 are not required to quarantine but should mask for 10 days from last exposure and monitor for symptoms.
- Team members should continue to follow local protocols for reporting COVID-19 illness and positive tests.
- Please see the Guidelines for Management of COVID-19 Employee Exposure for more information on testing and return-to-work guidance.
What is the return-to-work guidance for team members with respiratory illnesses?
- If returning to work after COVID-19 infection, team members may return to work after 5 days from symptom onset or positive test if there is symptom improvement.
- For all other respiratory viruses, team members may return to work after 24 hours of being fever free without the use of fever-reducing medications or, if fever free, may return to work after 24 hours of improvement in respiratory illness symptoms.
Are there specific masking requirements for team members returning to work after a respiratory illness?
Yes, team members should mask in all settings when returning to work following recent respiratory illness. See specific recommendations below:
- High-filtration masks such as N95 or KN95 masks are recommended when returning from respiratory illness (COVID, influenza or RSV).
- Team members recovering from COVID should mask in all settings for a minimum of 10 days from the start of symptoms or a positive COVID test. Team members recovering from other respiratory illnesses should mask in all settings for a minimum of 7 days from the start of symptoms or a positive test.
Thank you in advance for following these guidelines, which will reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection and other respiratory illnesses to everyone in our care and in our facilities.
We will continue to closely monitor trends of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses and advise of any further changes in the coming weeks.