Arizona hospital’s ‘staffing crisis’ means COVID-positive, symptomatic employees permitted to work

A health system operating in Arizona announced a “critical staff crisis” and updated its guidance to allow COVID-postive health employees to continue working.

“COVID positive staff who are improving, mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic do not require isolation but are required to wear N95 masks for up to 10 days of positive symptoms or testing. These measures are supported by the CDC,” Dignity Health – a California-based health system that also operates in Arizona – wrote an email to St. Joseph Hospital staff in Phoenix, ABC15 reported.

The hospital system explained in a statement that it authorized the “third tier” of the CDC guidelines, which allow asymptomatic or recovering health workers with mild symptoms to continue working without a quarantine period.

“Due to the spread and impact of the COVID-19 omicron variant in Maricopa County, and in anticipation of a continued increase, Dignity Health facilities in Maricopa County have enacted the third tier of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for COVID-19 positive health care workers. These guidelines allow COVID-19 positive health care personnel who are asymptomatic or improving with mild symptoms to work without a quarantine period,” the statement said, according to ABC15.

Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed an executive order last year banning local or state governments from implementing vaccine mandates but exempted health care institutions. – READ MORE