COVID-19 Protocol

If you have ANY of the following symptoms, you should immediately be tested for COVID-19:

• Temperature of 100.0° F or above
• Muscle aches
• Sore throat
• New or worsening cough
• Shortness of breath
• Loss of smell or taste
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• High risk exposure (close contact (<6 feet) for ≥15 minutes) to another person who tests COVID-19 positive

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Testing is offered at Prisma Health primary care practices and SC DHEC testing locations.

• After testing, symptomatic individuals should not work or be on campus until they receive their results.
• All students, faculty or scholars who are COVID-19 positive are expected to stay in contact with Prisma Health Employee Health for instructions to return to the CLE.
  • Say you are a student, faculty or scholar at Prisma Health and you tested positive for COVID-19
  • Leave your name and a call-back number
  • Your call will be returned in the order it was received and by acuity
  • Employee Health will plan for your return based on your particular case.

 

Prisma Health’s Current PPE Policy

6-feet social distancing is optional but encouraged in all locations regardless of vaccination status.

Beginning Tuesday, Oct. 11, Prisma Health moved to a process where masking in patient-facing areas will be based on local COVID-19 transmission rates, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

How the process works:

• Every Tuesday morning, designated leaders will review COVID-19 transmission levels for the county in which their facility is located. Transmission levels are available on the CDC’s website.
• If transmission levels are high in the county where the facility is located, the facility will continue universal masking.
• If transmission levels are substantial, moderate or low in the county where the facility is located, a designated leader from the facility will discontinue universal masking for that facility as outlined in the flowchart.

Once a facility discontinues universal masking, please note:

• Individuals exempt from COVID-19 vaccination must continue to mask.
• For individuals with a high-risk COVID-19 exposure, regardless of vaccine status, there is no change in the required masking.
• Facilities will take appropriate precautions for individual patients based on their history and symptoms.
• Facilities will need to resume universal masking if the county where the facility is located reverts to high transmission levels.
• Facilities may resume universal masking if special circumstances call for it, such as localized flu or COVID outbreaks among team members.

 

Individuals with signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 are not to enter Prisma Health buildings and should seek assessment by a healthcare provider.

 

Guidance for Returning to the Clinical Learning Environment (CLE)

Employee Health will transition back to the CDC’s conventional return to work and exposure guidelines as outlined below. Please note, day of symptom onset/date of positive test (if asymptomatic) is considered day 0.

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Returning to the CLE after being COVID+

7-day option

• May return after 7 days with a negative antigen or NAAT test obtained within 48 hours prior to returning to the CLE.
• At least 24 hours have passed since the last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
• Symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) have improved.

All others

• May return after 10 days if testing is not performed or if the antigen test on day 5-7 is positive.
• At least 24 hours have passed since the last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
• Symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness or breath) have improved.

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Restrictions After High-risk Exposures

The restrictions listed below are for asymptomatic individuals based on vaccination status. Please note, individuals who develop symptoms following an exposure should not return to the CLE and should be tested.

Up-to-date* OR within 90 days of prior COVID-19 infection

• No work restrictions
• Testing is recommended on day 5-7
• Individuals who test may continue to work unless experiencing symptoms

Not up-to-date*

• Restricted from work for 10 days OR 7 days with a negative test

*Up-to-date means an individual has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s) when eligible.