HCWs and Students with Symptoms or Exposure to a Communicable Disease

The direction below is for SAH HCWs and students (specifically, SAH employees, physicians, security staff, EllisDon staff, Marek’s staff, all students, and volunteers) to aid in their decision-making regarding when to report to work. 

Students should not report symptoms to Occupational Health but should follow the instructions listed below. Their educational institution will manage their illness.

 See UPDATED PROTOCOL for additional details.

Directions for HCWs with symptoms of respiratory illness (or symptoms within the past 10 days):

Symptoms include one or more of the following: Fever, cough, chills, shortness of breath, olfactory/taste disorder (change in taste or smell), sore throat

OR

Two or more of the following: Runny nose, nasal congestion, headache, gastro symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or abdominal pain), fatigue/lethargy (unexplained/long lasting), body aches, muscle aches, joint pain, conjunctivitis (“pink eye”)

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Ensure you have reported your symptoms to Occupational Health at x4317 or healthnurse@sah.on.ca

You can return to work when:

  • Your respiratory symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours; AND
  • You have not had a fever within the past 24 hours; AND
  • Any gastro symptoms have ended at least 48 hours ago; AND
  • You feel well enough to return to work; AND
  • Come to work and practice work self-isolation for 10 days after your symptoms first started.

Directions for HCWs with another communicable disease (for example, gastrointestinal illness, conjunctivitis, shingles, strep throat):

  • If you do not have any other symptoms, then you can return to work once:
    1. Your vomiting has resolved at least 24 hours ago; AND
    2. Your diarrhea has resolved at least 48 hours ago.
  • If you do not have any other symptoms, you can return to work when your symptoms have resolved
  • You can return to work immediately as long as:
    1. You have NOT been diagnosed with disseminated zoster, AND
    2. You practice good hand hygiene, AND
    3. Your lesions are covered, AND
    4. If your role involves direct patient care, you cannot work directly with high-risk patients until all of your lesions have dried and crusted over.  High-risk patients include newborns, children, pregnant individuals, transplant patients, and oncology patients. Contact your manager/supervisor to determine if this can be accommodated; OR
    5. If your role does NOT involve direct patient care (regardless of the department you work in), you can continue to come to work as long as you meet criteria 1 through 3 above.

Ensure you have reported your symptoms to Occupational Health at x4317 or healthnurse@sah.on.ca 

You can return to work when:

  • Your symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours; AND
  • You have not had a fever within the past 24 hours; AND
  • It has been at least 24 hours since you started antibiotics; AND
  • You feel well enough to return to work; AND
  • Come to work and practice work self-isolation for 10 days after your symptoms first started.

Ensure you have reported your symptoms to Occupational Health at x4317 or healthnurse@sah.on.ca

You can return to work on day 6 after your symptoms first started as long as:

  • Your respiratory symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours; AND
  • You have not had a fever within the past 24 hours; AND
  • Any gastro symptoms have ended at least 48 hours ago; AND
  • You feel well enough to return to work; AND
  • Come to work and practice work self-isolation for 10 days after your symptoms first started.
  • Do not attend work; AND
  • Report your diagnosis to Occupational Health at x4317 or healthnurse@sah.on.ca; AND
  • Await direction from Occupational Health regarding return to work. Continue to report your absence to Staffing and Scheduling until you receive further direction from Occupational Health.

Ensure you have reported your symptoms to Occupational Health at x4317 or healthnurse@sah.on.ca

You can return to work when:

  • Your symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours; AND
  • You have not had a fever within the past 24 hours; AND
  • Any blisters have healed (e.g. are no longer filled with fluid); AND
  • You feel well enough to return to work; AND
  • Come to work and practice work self-isolation for 10 days after your symptoms first started.