LOS ANGELES (KNX) — Nurses working in Los Angeles County have publicly come out against a state directive that healthcare workers who test positive for COVID-19, but are asymptomatic, return to work without quarantining.
The California Department of Public Health issued new guidance on Friday which directed healthcare workers who have tested positive for the virus, but present no symptoms, to return to their jobs without testing or isolation period. The guidance is in effect through Feb. 1, and responded to staffing shortages reported at hospitals throughout the state amid a spike in COVID-related hospitalizations.
On Monday, there were 3,472 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in L.A. County — the highest rate since Feb. 2021.
“During this time, Healthcare Personnel (HCPs) who have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and are asymptomatic may return to work immediately without isolation and without testing, and HCPs who have been exposed and are asymptomatic may return to work immediately without quarantine and without testing,” the directive reads. “These HCPs must wear an N95 respirator for source control. Facilities implementing this change must have made every attempt to bring in additional registry or contract staff and must have considered modifications to non-essential procedures.”
On Tuesday, nurses held a news conference outside the L.A. County Board of Supervisors meeting at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration in Downtown L.A. The conference was organized by SEIU Local 721, a union representing Southern California’s public service workers, including nurses and hospital staff.
Attending nurses called on the board to implement stricter rules with regards to testing and isolation for workers exposed to COVID-19, among other steps to keep healthcare workers and patients safe. They’ve asked that all non-critical health procedures, such as elective surgeries, be canceled for the time being, and for tighter restrictions on patient visitation.
“The way that you drive this pandemic down is by staffing up properly: stop the county’s overreliance on registries, on traveling nurse registries, on contracting out,” nurse practitioner Ileana Meza told assembled press.
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