[Important Information for Employees] Revised COVID-19 Guidance

[Human Resource Services]

*SENT ON BEHALF OF THE NYS OFFICE OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS*


On March 1, 2024, the Center for Disease Control issued updated
recommendations addressing protection from respiratory viruses including
COVID-19. The recommendations provide consolidated guidance on how
individuals can protect themselves and the community from respiratory viral
illnesses, such as COVID-19, flu, and RSV, which can cause significant
health impacts and strain on hospitals and health care workers. CDC made
these updates because we are seeing far fewer hospitalizations and deaths
associated with COVID-19 and have greater tools to combat these illnesses.
The guidance is available here:  Respiratory Virus Guidance (cdc.gov)
<https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/guidance/respiratory-virus-guidance.html>



*The CDC no longer requires isolation*. The updated Respiratory Virus
Guidance recommends that people stay home and away from others until at
least 24 hours after both their symptoms are getting better overall, and
they have not had a fever (without the use of fever-reducing medication).
Note that depending on the length of symptoms, this period could be
shorter, the same, or longer than the previous guidance for COVID-19. It is
important to note that the guidance doesn’t end with staying home and away
from others when sick. The guidance encourages added precaution over the
next five days after time at home, away from others, is over.



In terms of individual strategies, the CDC recommends such actions such as
staying up to date with vaccinations and practicing good hygiene by:

   - covering coughs and sneezes,
   - washing or sanitizing hands often; and
   - cleaning frequently touched surfaces.

Employees should be respectful of others they work with in the workplace
and absent themselves if ill. Nothing in the revised guidance relieves an
agency from evaluating and granting, where required, reasonable
accommodations.



While leave under Chapter 25 of the Laws of 2020 is still available, it is
unlikely that a mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine (which
hasn’t been required by the CDC since August of 2022) or isolation will be
issued by the state of New York, the department of health, local board of
health, or any governmental entity duly authorized to issue such order due
to COVID-19. Unless such an order has been authorized, individuals who
absent themselves from work must charge appropriate accrued leave credits
if they choose to have their absence covered with pay.



*Please note that there has been no change to CDC guidance for health care
settings.*



*HUMAN RESOURCE SERVICES*
912 Kehoe Building

101 Broad Street
<https://maps.google.com/?q=101+Broad+Street+Plattsburgh,+NY+12901&entry=gmail&source=g>

Plattsburgh, NY 12901
<https://maps.google.com/?q=101+Broad+Street+Plattsburgh,+NY+12901&entry=gmail&source=g>

(o) 518-564-5062

(f) 518-564-5060

*plattsburgh.edu <http://plattsburgh.edu>*





*Human Resource Services webpage - plattsburgh.edu/hr
<http://plattsburgh.edu/hr>*
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