Gov. DeSantis: New guidance on returning to work after COVID-19 diagnosis
New guidance on returning to work after COVID-19 diagnosis
Governor Ron DeSantis says there are new guidelines for when you can go back to work after testing positive for COVID-19 and it may be faster than before.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Governor Ron DeSantis says there are new guidelines for when you can go back to work after testing positive for COVID-19 and it may be faster than before.
“We’re going to be putting out, the department of health is going to be putting out some guidance for employers – the symptoms-based approach is the superior approach,” DeSantis said during a news conference Friday.
The new criteria looks at a person’s symptoms over testing.
“Turns out CDC put out guidance last Friday saying employers really need to go to a symptoms-based approach rather than a PCR test approach. You shouldn’t be requiring a negative PCR test in order for someone to come back to work if they’ve cleared symptoms for a certain number of days,” DeSantis said.
According to the CDC’s website, the recommendation is: “For most persons with COVID-19 illness, isolation and precautions can generally be discontinued 10 days after symptom onset1 and resolution of fever for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing medications, and with improvement of other symptoms.”
“The reason they pointed to is you can test positive with PCR test for up to 12 weeks,” DeSantis said.
“As far as positive tests, I’m seeing a range from 14 to 28 days,” said Dr. Jason Littleton, of Littleton Concierge Medicine.
Littleton says this method, based on symptoms, can prevent long stays in quarantine.
“A symptom-based strategy helps people get back to work faster and that’s what’s being advocated by the CDC,” Littleton said.
The governor says the state health department will be sending out those new guidelines to Florida employers.