From the desk of Adriane Harrison at Printing United Alliance:
The CDC previously defined close contact as being within 6 feet of someone infected with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes or more. The updated guidance now defines close contact as being within 6 feet of someone with the virus for a cumulative total of 15 minutes (or more) over a 24-hour period. The new Close Contact definition will require an employer to tally all short-duration contacts over the course of a full work shift (or even over two work shifts spanning a 24-hour period), potentially resulting in many more close contacts that will require quarantine.
This revision may impact the ability to maintain staffing as it establishes a much lower threshold trigger for required quarantine. The new guidance makes it clear that the use of masks or other face coverings does not impact the determination of a Close Contact.
As a result of this new Close Contact definition, employers should review their COVID-19 infection control plans with this new definition in mind and, at minimum, update their contact tracing questionnaires to include inquiries focused on the cumulative approach, such as:
- ID individuals with whom you had close contact within 48 hours of illness onset or sample collection.
- Were you in close contact with anyone for any amount of time during the infectious period?
- Did those contacts happen within a 24-hour period?
- Added together, did the contacts add up to 15 or more minutes?
The EHS/HR/Reg Affairs team at Printing United Alliance has prepared the “First To Know” about this revised guidance. You can find it on the COVID-19 channel found here: https://www.piworld.com/extension/covid-19/.
