24-002 Managing Respiratory Infections in the Workplace
Department Notice
This document is not an official representation of the published policy. To access the official signed policy, please contact us at [email protected].
Overview
The common cold, COVID-19, and seasonal influenza are the top three infectious agents that can cause respiratory infections in working adults. There are a host of other respiratory viruses as well, such as Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). The general concept if one is sick is to stay home for at least 4-5 days and only return when fevers have been gone for 24 hours. Individuals will need to use personal sick days for illnesses.
Stay Home When You Are Sick
All employees should stay home if they are sick until at least 24 hours after their fever (temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 37.8 degrees Celsius or higher) is gone without the use of fever-reducing medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
Flu
Not everyone with influenza will have a fever. Individuals with suspected or confirmed flu, who do not have a fever, should stay home from work at least 4-5 days after onset of symptoms. Persons with the flu are most contagious during the first 3 days of the illness. There is no need to report flu cases to the department.
COVID-19
If you test positive for COVID
- Isolate for at least 5 days from symptom onset (symptom onset date is considered day zero) or positive test date.
- After 5 days of isolation and if you have no fever for 24 hours without taking feverreducing medication and your symptoms are improving, you may return to work.
- You will need to wear a mask upon return to work for another 5 days if you are around other individuals.
- You will also need to let anyone you were in close contact with 48 hours before your symptom onset that you tested positive.
- If you think you contracted COVID on duty and will be filing a worker’s compensation claim, you will need to obtain a PCR test to submit along with your claim. Any testing location is okay.
Reporting
SFPD employees who test positive for COVID-19 will no longer need to report individual cases to the medical liaison unit. Please self-report to People & Pay
Exposures
- If you were exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID, you must wear a face mask around others in indoor settings for 10 days after exposure to someone with COVID-19.
- Get tested for COVID 3-5 days after exposure
Outbreak Management
- If any physical workplace location such as a station has 3 or more cases within two weeks, please alert the police physician for outbreak management protocols.
| Symptoms | Isolation or Quarantine | Test to End work restrictions | Mask |
|---|---|---|---|
| None, or mild and resolving, no fever | 5 Days* | Not Required* | 10 days** |
| Fever | >5 Days - leave isolation 24 hours after resolution of fever | Not Required* | 10 days** |
| Symptoms not improving*** | 10 Days | Not Required | 10 days |
| Symptoms | Isolation or Quarantine | Test to End work restrictions | Mask |
|---|---|---|---|
| No symptoms | none | Recommend test Day 3-5 after exposure | 10 days |
| If symptoms develop, follow rules for Covid-like symptoms | ~5 day | Test at symptom onset, if negative and still symptoms repeat test in 1-2 days | 10 days |
| Symptoms | Isolation or Quarantine | Test to End work restrictions | Mask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isolate and test, continue to isolate if symptoms persist, even if test is negative | ~5 day | Test at symptom onset f negative and still symptom: repeat test in 1-2 days | 10 days |
/s/
WILLIAM SCOTT
Chief of Police
Per DN 23-152, all sworn & non-sworn members shall electronically acknowledge this Department document in PowerDMS within (30) thirty calendar days of issuance. Members whose duties are relevant to this document shall be held responsible for compliance. Any questions regarding this policy should be sent to [email protected] who will provide additional information.