The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued new guidelines for essential workers and businesses still operating (found here). The guidance is focused on when workers can return to work after having been exposed to the new coronavirus. 
 
Among the new guidelines, the CDC advises that workers may be permitted to continue work immediately following potential exposure to COVID-19, provided they remain asymptomatic and additional precautions are implemented to protect them and the community.  According to the CDC, potential exposure means being in a household or having close contact within 6 feet of any individual with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 during the time period of 48 hours before the individual became symptomatic.
 
If a worker who had exposure remains asymptomatic and can continue working (i.e., not on physician-ordered or government-ordered quarantine), employees and employers should adhere to the following practices prior to and during work according to the CDC:
 
The CDC also published these additional considerations:
 

 
If an employee becomes sick at work, the employee should be sent home immediately according to the CDC.  The work site should be deep cleaned, aired out (to the extent possible), and disinfected. Persons who had "close contact" (within 6 feet) with the ill employee during the time the employee had symptoms and 2 days prior to symptoms should be notified that they were exposed and should follow the CDC precautions above (including face masks at work). 
 
This recent guidance comes on the heels of guidance released by the CDC just last week, which focused on cleaning and disinfecting a workplace after an employee is diagnosed with COVID-19.  Among the new tips: Close off areas used by the sick person to the extent possible; wait 24 hours before you clean or disinfect; if a contaminated area has been closed for seven days or more, there's no need for a special "deep" cleaning.  The CDC's guidance for cleaning and disinfecting your facility can be found here.
 
All employers whose offices remain open should revise their procedures based on the CDC guidelines and stay up-to-date on state and local regulations, which may be stricter than the CDC. For example, many states and localities are requiring face masks or face coverings in many situations.
 
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