For those of you who have not seen it:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/return-to-work.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fhealthcare-facilities%2Fhcp-return-work.html

 

Are you going to go with the test-based strategy of a 2-swab negative test of cure?  Why or Why Not?  Here are some of the answers that I might expect.

 

___We are going with the 2-swab because it can give us some confidence that the  HCP case is no longer capable of infecting susceptible co-workers and patients

___We are going with the 2-swab because CDC said that it is the preferred method

                ___We are relying on CDC expertise

                ___We feel obligated to go with CDC’s guidance because of medicolegal implications

                ___Our state health regulators have codified CDC guidance

 

___We are going with the non-test based strategy because we don’t know which of the RNA detected in the PCR is from viable virus or just old fragments

___We are going with the non-test based strategy because we don’t have the resources available to do the tests and get the results back in a reasonable turn around time

___We think that the asymptomatic carrier state is widespread in the community and limits the usefulness of the PCR test.

 

___Something obvious that I have missed altogether:

 

Feel free to call me at the number below if you’d like to share your thoughts that way.  I will anonymize and do the aggregate analysis and share.

 

I hope that soon, queries like this are historical curiosities.

 

 

Ed Galaid

 

Edward I. Galaid, MD, MPH, FACOEM

ABIM, ABPM (OM)

Medical Director, Roper St. Francis Physician Partners Occupational Medicine

Charleston, SC

Member, ACOEM Task Group,  Guidance for the Medical Evaluation of Law Enforcement Officers

Special Expert, NFPA Fire Service Occupational Safety & Health (FIX-AAA) Committee

(O) 843-402-5053