The department of Public Health in California have issued new directions for the hospitals that if the staff is COVID-19 positive but asymptomatic, they have to continue their work.
According to the health department, “The department is allowing temporary flexibility to hospitals and emergency care providers to respond to an unusual spike in demand and staffing shortages. Before using this interim tool, hospitals must exhaust all other options available. Facilities and providers that use this tool should have asymptomatic COVID-19 positive personnel interacting solely with COVID-19 positive patients to the extent possible.”
On Saturday, the health department direction states that healthcare workers don’t need to isolate themselves, or there is no need to test negative and can immediately report to work if they are not showing any symptoms.
These directions are in effect until February 1, and it comes to effect due to continuous surge in the cases of Omicron-new variant of COVID-19 across the nation. Even positive healthcare workers are asked to wear N-95 masks to continue their work.
The announcement has ignited outrage from the SEIU and other health officials, and healthcare workers in the state.
Meanwhile, the President of SEIU California and Executive Director of SEIU California said, “Healthcare workers and patients need the shield of clear rules guided by the strong science. The idea to allow employers to bring back workers who may be infected is the foolish idea.”
With the surge in the cases due to the Omicron variant, hospitals and other medical facilities around the country are experiencing staffing challenges, especially in California, where vaccine mandates were implemented last year requiring health care workers to get vaccinated or face termination. Health giant Kaiser Permanente has suspended more than 2,000 unvaccinated employees in October and warned others who have not been vaccinated that they will also face termination this month.
