Managing Your Practice During the Pandemic – PDA Continues to Have Your Back
In the midst of another winter where guidance related to COVID-19 continues to change and evolve , PDA remains on the lookout for anything that may affect your dental practices . We are proud to be the trusted voice of dentistry in PA and your trusted resource for reliable information , and we will keep you updated when anything changes .
There have been some recent tweaks and revisions that we have summarized here to assist you in managing your practice during the pandemic . Check out the latest guidance from the CDC and PA Department of Health ( DOH ) to help you navigate sickness and staffing shortages during the recent COVID surge .
Centers for Disease Control
Interim Guidance for Managing HCP with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2
Issued : December 23 , 2021
Health care personnel ( HCP ) with even mild COVID-19 symptoms should be tested regardless of vaccination status . Tests must be capable of detecting SARS-C0V-2 even with other variants currently circulating .
CDC ’ s updated guidance contains return-to-work guidance for HCP who test positive for COVID-19 , with detailed bullet points that are also spelled out by DOH in PA-HAN-614 .
CDC guidance differentiates between HCP who are “ boosted ” ( those who have received all vaccine doses and booster ) and HCP who are “ vaccinated ” or “ unvaccinated ” ( those who have not received all doses and booster ).
The guidance further differentiates between those with infection and those who were exposed but asymptomatic . Health care workers with COVID-19 who are asymptomatic and who are not immunocompromised can return to work after seven days with a negative test in the last 48 hours , or 10 days with either no test results or a positive test result at day five to seven . Health care workers who have received all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses , including a booster , can continue working after high-risk exposure though testing 24 hours and again five to seven days after exposure is recommended .
CDC ’ s Strategies to Mitigate Healthcare Personnel Staffing Shortages , also posted on December 23 , 2021 , contains strategies for dental offices and other health care entities for :
• Contingency plans when faced with HCP staffing shortages .
• Mitigating HCP staffing shortages that reach crisis point .
January 2022