PA Health Alert Network ( PAHAN )
Return to Work for Healthcare Personnel with Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19 ( 2021-PHAN-614 )
Issued : December 28 , 2021
The updates made to PA-HAN-614 are consistent with guidance published by the CDC on December 23 . PA-HAN-614 replaces PA-HAN-595 .
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 .
PA-HAN-614 contains the same return-to-work guidance as the CDC for HCP who test positive for COVID-19 , including :
• HCP with mild to moderate illness who are not moderately to severely immunocompromised .
• HCP who are asymptomatic throughout their infection and are not moderately to severely immunocompromised .
• HCP with severe to critical illness or who are not moderately to severely immunocompromised .
• HCP who are moderately to severely immunocompromised producing replicationcompetent virus beyond 20 days after onset of symptoms or test positive and are asymptomatic .
This HAN also 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 .
PA Health Alert Network ( PAHAN )
Return to Work for Healthcare Personnel with Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19 ( 2021-PHAN-616 )
Issued : January 5 , 2022
This guidance replaced PA-HAN-596 and is intended to provide advice on protecting HCP against surges in COVID-19 cases , with a focus on how best to handle HCP who have been exposed to COVID depending on their vaccination status . There is additional guidance related to exposure during aerosol-producing procedures .
It amends the definition of “ higher-risk ” exposure to account for the use of facemasks when treating an infected patient .
PA-HAN-616 also offers guidance that allow asymptomatic HCP to continue working when there are staffing shortages , even if they have had a high-risk exposure and are not “ boosted ” ( fully vaccinated with booster shot ). This is a change from the previous recommendation that there be a 14-day post-exposure period in which the HCP was restricted from working .
January 2022