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.

Direction for HCWs with symptoms of Respiratory Illness (e.g. COVID-19, cold-like illness, influenza-like illness)

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”)

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):

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

  • If you have only had one episode of vomiting or diarrhea, you can return to work when feeling well enough.
  • If you have vomiting AND diarrhea, OR you have had two or more episodes of vomiting or diarrhea within a 24-hour period, you can return to work when:
    • Any vomiting and/or diarrhea ended at least 48 hours ago

Please note: If you are experiencing vomiting and/or diarrhea due to a chronic illness or expected medication side effects, you can return to work when you are feeling well enough.

  • If you do not have any other symptoms, you can return to work when your symptoms have resolved (discharge from the eyes / crusting of the eyelids has resolved and your eyes are no longer itchy or swollen). 

Please note: If you are diagnosed with viral conjunctivitis, do not attend work. Contact Occupational Health at 705-759-3434 ext. 4317 for direction.

    •  
  • 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/diagnosis 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/diagnosis to Occupational Health at x4317 or healthnurse@sah.on.ca

  • Do not attend work; 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/diagnosis 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.