NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — As COVID-19 cases continue to surge in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday announced new return-to-work guidelines for essential workers who test positive for the virus.
Previous guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told people to quarantine for 10 days after the onset of symptoms.
However, with businesses already struggling to stay afloat with the omicron variant spreading rapidly, New York State has decided to reevaluate to keep the workforce staffed during the spike.
“We're always trying to adapt to changing data as we receive it, and process it,” Gov. Hochul said during a Friday press conference.
“We want to make sure our critical workforce, who we have relied on since the beginning and I want to make sure that our workers can get back,” she added.
Given that the omicron variant appears to be more transmissible, but less severe, Gov. Hochul said that quarantine time can be shortened under some circumstances.
“Employers may allow health care workers and other critical workforce members who have had COVID to return after five days if they are fully vaccinated and are asymptomatic,” the governor announced.
The new rules will also apply to other essential workers like those at grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, transportation and sanitation, the governor’s office said.
Under the protocol, however, anyone going back to work after infection has to wear a mask.
The news came as the governor also announced the state had reached a new milestone with 95% of adults over the age of 18 now having received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
While the news was promising, Hochul noted that one shot is not enough and it’s crucial that people receive the full set and a booster shot, when they are eligible.
Gov. Hochul also stressed the importance of COVID-19 testing and said 13 more sites would be launching across the state on Dec. 29.
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