Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) | The Vaccine and Quarantine Guidelines

To: All Cleveland APL Employees
From: Ron Srnka, Senior Director of Human Resources 
Date: March 30, 2021
Re: Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)   |   The Vaccine and Quarantine Guidelines

When to Quarantine

The Ohio Department of Health – Current Quarantine Guidelines

Quarantine is used to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others. Quarantine helps prevent spread of disease that can occur before a person knows they are sick or if they are infected with the virus without feeling symptoms. People in quarantine should stay home, separate themselves from others, monitor their health, and follow directions from their state or local health department.

Who needs to quarantine?

People who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19—EXCLUDING people who have had COVID-19 within the past 3 months or who are fully vaccinated.

  • People who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 3 months and recovered do not have to quarantine or get tested again as long as they do not develop new symptoms.
  • People who develop symptoms again within 3 months of their first bout of COVID-19 may need to be tested again if there is no other cause identified for their symptoms.
  • People who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they have been fully vaccinated against the disease and show no symptoms.

CLEVELAND APL EMPLOYEES & VOLUNTEERS – VACCINATION RECORD (VAX CARD)

  • Employees: Upon completing your full vaccination, please submit an image of your “Vax Card” to human resources: rsrnka@clevelandapl.org
  • Volunteers: Upon completing your full vaccination, please submit an image of your “Vax Card” to the Volunteer Manager: dbegalla@clevelandapl.org

NOTE: This documentation will be specifically critical to determining your individual quarantine procedure.

 

What counts as close contact?

  • You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more
  • You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19
  • You had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them)
  • You shared eating or drinking utensils
  • They sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you

Steps to take – Stay home and monitor your health

  • Stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.
  • Watch for fever (100.4◦F), cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19
  • If possible, stay away from others, especially people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19

Options to reduce quarantine

Reducing the length of quarantine may make it easier for people to quarantine by reducing the time they cannot work. A shorter quarantine period also can lessen stress on the public health system. Ohio health authorities make the final decisions about how long quarantine should last, based on local conditions and needs. These are the current quarantine recommendations of the Ohio Department of Health.

  • After day 10 without testing [with no symptoms]
  • After day 7 after receiving a negative test result (test must occur on day 5 or later)

After stopping quarantine, you should

  • Watch for symptoms until 14 days after exposure.
  • If you have symptoms, immediately self-isolate and contact a testing facility.
  • Wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet from others, wash your hands, avoid crowds, and take other steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Ohio Department of Health, however, continues to recommend a 14-day quarantine for many citizens in Ohio.

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REMINDER: All employees and volunteers at the APL facility must follow the APL’s COVID-19 SOPs. Facility-entry procedures must be strictly adhered to and recorded in the staff and volunteer temperature logs.

Temperature Log Instructions: https://clevelandapl.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/B1_EE_HealthScreen_SentHome_Form.pdf

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Please think safety! Please work safely!

Ron Srnka, Senior Director of Human Resources
Mobile phone: (330) 304-8379
Work phone:  (216) 377-1620

Email: rsrnka@clevelandapl.org

*Confidentiality of Medical Information Our policy is to treat any medical information as a confidential medical record. In furtherance of this policy, any disclosure of medical information is in limited circumstances with supervisors, managers, first aid and safety personnel, Human Resources and government officials as required by law.