(Montreal) The first conditions surrounding the return to work of professionals infected by COVID-19, but asymptomatic, were unveiled Wednesday by Quebec.
Two scenarios divided by stages were presented: one concerning workers working in the health sector, and the other, dedicated to essential workers outside health establishments.
With regard to the health network, “we are already offloading. So it is particularly a tool for maintaining level 3 health services, ”said Dr Yves Jalbert, medical director of public health protection at the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS), during an information meeting for the media.
Last week, the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, announced that Quebec was at level 3 of its load shedding plan, out of a maximum of 4.
First, an asymptomatic healthcare worker exposed to a COVID-19 case at their workplace or a one-off case in the community will not be removed from their job. However, he must be tested as soon as possible, and this, every two to three days, until the tenth day following his contact with a case of the virus.
However, if a healthcare professional resides with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, they may return to their workplace if they are asymptomatic before the end of their seven-day isolation only if they are working in a place where a break in service is imminent.
This precarious situation is also a necessary condition for a healthcare worker who has not been vaccinated or has received a single dose of vaccine to come and lend a hand after coming into contact with a case of COVID-19. Otherwise, an unvaccinated worker will have to remain in isolation for seven days.
In the event that a professional has symptoms similar to those of COVID-19, he must get a negative screening test to return to work, and see his symptoms subside.
Finally, only a COVID-19 positive healthcare worker who is adequately vaccinated could return to work after seven days of isolation, if a service disruption threatens their workplace. An unvaccinated person must remain in confinement for 10 days.
TABLE PROVIDED BY THE MSSS
TABLE PROVIDED BY THE MSSS
At the end of the day on Wednesday, the Collège des médecins du Québec said it agreed with these criteria.
“The College rules that the fact for a doctor to meet the pressing needs of the network, while he has tested positive, but remains asymptomatic, does not constitute a violation of his code of ethics”, he added. it stated in a statement.
In the current circumstances, the doctor must rather help ensure the continuity of services and patient care, said the College.
The organization recalls, however, that vaccination remains the best protective measure against COVID-19 and encourages all doctors to receive their third dose, as soon as possible.
It should be noted that as of December 28, 8,577 health network workers were absent due to COVID-19, according to data from the MSSS obtained by Press. Of this number, 3,573 employees are positive for COVID-19 and 2,452 are on preventive absences. In addition, 2,097 workers are in the process of testing for the virus, while 455 have refused to be tested.
Another scenario for essential workers
Rather, four steps will guide the decisions of essential organizations that, to avoid a disruption in service, ask an employee who is infected or has been in contact with a case of COVID-19 to work.
“We are talking about extraordinary measures to preserve services that have a direct impact on health or safety,” said Dr Richard Massé, strategic medical adviser of the General Directorate of Public Health.
For example, according to the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ), the isolation of a worker could be shortened if his absence risks causing a breakdown in service in the only food market of a community, of an emergency service (police, firefighter, ambulance driver) or in an essential public service, such as the distribution of drinking water.
First, if an organization wants to avoid a disruption in service, it can reduce the isolation of an asymptomatic worker who has been in contact with someone with COVID-19 to five days. The professional will then have to obtain a rapid negative test on the sixth day, as well as take his breaks or meals in different rooms than those of his colleagues who have not been exposed to the virus.
TABLE PROVIDED BY THE MSSS
If the first step is not sufficient to avoid a breakdown in service, we move on to the second: if the isolation of an asymptomatic worker who has been exposed to a case of COVID-19 can be reduced to three days. However, he will need to get a rapid negative test on the fourth, fifth, and sixth day after isolation.
If this measure cannot be enforced, companies will be able to ask an employee who has been diagnosed positive for COVID-19 to return to work after five days of isolation. However, he will have to respect certain measures at his workplace to curb the spread of the virus.
As a last resort, if the third step is not sufficient to prevent a break in service in a given organization, the company must contact the regional public health department in its sector to determine a procedure to be followed.
With Alice Girard-Bossé and Lila Dussault, Press