California went from mandating vaccines to forcing COVID-positive health care employees to work

The California Department of Public Health issued new guidance allowing hospitals and health networks to force COVID-postive healthcare workers to continue working if they are asymptomatic.

“The department is providing temporary flexibility to help hospitals and emergency services providers respond to an unprecedented surge and staffing shortages. Hospitals have to exhaust all other options before resorting to this temporary tool. Facilities and providers using this tool, should have asymptomatic COVID-19 positive workers interact only with COVID-19 positive patients to the extent possible,” the health department said in a statement.

The health department issued the guidance Saturday, and outlines that healthcare workers don’t have to isolate or test negative and can immediately return to work if they are asymptomatic.

The guidance is in effect until Feb. 1 and comes as the omicron variant of the virus spikes across the nation. Positive healthcare workers will need to wear N-95 respirator masks.- READ MORE