COVID 19 | Staff member returning to work as a close contact
Information about the management of Metro North Health staff identified as close contacts.
Electronic Application
The electronic form flow is initiated by the Line Manager.
If suitable for close contact staff member to return to work, a workflow is initiated and:
- Sent to the facility delegate for approval, then the
- Outcome is emailed to line manager and staff member concurrently.
What is a Close Contact?
- A close contact is a household member or a household-like contact of a diagnosed person.
- A household member is a person who ordinarily resides at the same premises or place of accommodation as the diagnosed person, and who is residing at the premises or place of accommodation at the time the diagnosed person receives their positive COVID-19 test result. You do not have to be related to the diagnosed person to be considered a household member.
- A household-like contact is a person who has spent more than four hours with the diagnosed person in a house or other place of accommodation, care facility or similar.
- Note: a person is not a household-like contact if they are in a separate part of the house, accommodation or care facility that has a separate point of entry and no shared common areas.
Management of return to work of staff who are close contacts
A staff member who is a close contact can conditionally return to work during their quarantine period as a critically essential worker, outlined Isolation for Diagnosed Cases of COVID-19 and Management of Close Contacts Direction So long as the staff member:
- Consents to return to work
- The staff member fits the critically essential worker as defined in Part 3.
- Must be asymptomatic
- Must return a negative COVID-19 test result prior to commencing their first workday
- Should be rostered to work in a single site/area, where possible.
- Return a negative COVID-19 test every second day of while working until it has been six days since they were designated a close contact.
If you meet the criteria above and wish to return to work, please contact your line manager to discuss.
For 14 days post exposure:
- Wear a P2/N95 mask in clinical areas in accordance with PPE escalation level; and
- Wear surgical mask in not clinical areas (e.g staff office spaces) and for travel to and from work.
- Continue to be rostered to work in a single site/area, where possible.
- Do not enter shared spaces such as tearooms and do not participate in any staff gatherings in the workplace where masks are likely to be removed.
- Carefully monitor your health and get tested if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 however mild.
When travelling to and from work by private transport the most direct route is to be taken without stopping except for refuelling (contactless as much as possible).
A risk assessment must also be undertaken by the facility prior to the staff member’s return. A record of dates/locations the staff member works, and any positive RAT results the staff member return as part of their surveillance testing, must also be kept by the facility.
If staff elect to complete their quarantine at home and not return to work, then they need to quarantine for seven days post initially being designated as a close contact and return a negative RAT on day six and continue to be asymptomatic before returning to work after being released from quarantine.
Staff returning to work must then also abide by the below condition for the seven days post being released from quarantine.
- Wear a P2/N95 mask in clinical areas in accordance with PPE escalation level; and
- Wear surgical mask in not clinical areas (e.g staff office spaces) and for travel to and from work.
- Continue to be rostered to work in a single site/area, where possible.
- Do not enter shared spaces such as tearooms and do not participate in any staff gatherings in the workplace where masks are likely to be removed.
- Carefully monitor your health and get tested if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 however mild.
A second person in my household has now tested positive. What should I do?
- Your close contact period starts again if someone else tests positive.
- You should start counting seven days from the day of the latest positive test in your household.
What do I have to do when I return to work?
- For 14 days post exposure you must:
- wear a P2/N95 respirator in clinical areas
- wear a surgical mask in non-clinical areas (e.g., staff only spaces)
- wear a surgical mask travelling to and from work
- not enter shared spaces such as tearooms and do not participate in any staff gatherings in the workplace where masks are likely to be removed
- carefully monitor your health and get tested if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 however mild.
My COVID-19 positive household member is still symptomatic on Day 7, can I return to work?
- Yes, if you are asymptomatic and have a negative Day 6 test you can still return to work on day 8.
- You should continue to carefully monitor your health and get tested if you have any symptoms of COVID-19, however mild.
Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) Kits
Where can I get RAT kits from?
RAT kit packs are available for Metro North Health staff and their immediate family to comply with the requirements of the following Health Direction: Management of Diagnosed Cases of COVID-19 and Close Contacts Direction (No. 3) | Queensland Health
In the first instance your line manager will be able to advise how you can access RAT kits.
Polymerase Chain reaction (PCR test)
Where can I get a PCR test done?
A full list of COVID-19 testing services open to the public is updated daily and can be found hereWhere can I find further information?
Information for staff who are close contacts can be found here.
Information about critically essential worker pathway can be found here.
Information for staff who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 can be found here.
Health advice can be obtained from your GP or 13 HEALTH (134 325).
Staff can call the HR hotline on 07 3646 5500 between 8am and 5pm seven days. The hotline offers clinical advice on returning to work and HR advice about leave entitlements for staff who are COVID positive or a close contact.
Close contacts
What is a Close Contact?
- A close contact is a household member or a household-like contact of a diagnosed person.
- A household member is a person who ordinarily resides at the same premises or place of accommodation as the diagnosed person, and who is residing at the premises or place of accommodation at the time the diagnosed person receives their positive COVID-19 test result. You do not have to be related to the diagnosed person to be considered a household member.
- A household-like contact is a person who has spent more than four hours with the diagnosed person in a house or other place of accommodation, care facility or similar.
- Note: a person is not a household-like contact if they are in a separate part of the house, accommodation or care facility that has a separate point of entry and no shared common areas.
Management of return to work of staff who are close contacts
To return to work as a staff member who is a close contact of a COVID-19 positive person you must:
- discuss with your line manager. They will undertake a risk assessment confirming you are a critically essential worker who may be supported to return to work during your quarantine period under certain conditions. It will be your Directorate delegate who will have final approval in supporting these applications.
- You must also carefully monitor your health and get tested if you have any symptoms of COVID-19, even if mild.
- Review Request for Critically Essential to Return to Work – Healthcare Workers Exposed to COVID-19. Management of Metro North Health staff identified as Close Contacts
The staff member must also abide by the following until the end of the quarantine period:
- Remain asymptomatic – this is checked by the Work Unit or Hospital Manager prior to the staff member commencing work each day AND
- Have a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) prior to the commencement of each work shift from day of return to work until 7 days since the date of the diagnosed case.
- For 14 days post exposure:
- wear a P2/N95 respirator in clinical areas in accordance with the PPE escalation level; and
- wear surgical mask in non-clinical areas (e.g. staff only spaces) and travel to and from work.
- Do not enter shared spaces such as tearooms and do not participate in any staff gatherings in the workplace where masks are likely to be removed.
- Carefully monitor your health and get tested if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 however mild.
The staff member must also abide by the following until the end of the quarantine period:
- You are a close contact. You should notify your line manager, go straight home and quarantine.
- You are required to quarantine for seven days. Quarantine requirements for Close Contacts can be found here
- You should carefully monitor your health and get tested if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 however mild.
- You are required to have a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) or PCR test:
- if you develop symptoms
- on day 6 if you remain asymptomatic.
- There is no need to be tested any more frequently than this.
- You can return to work on Day 8 following the COVID-19 positive test if:
- You remain asymptomatic
AND - You have a negative RAT or PCR on Day 6
A second person in my household has now tested positive. What should I do?
- Your close contact period starts again if someone else tests positive.
- You should start counting seven days from the day of the latest positive test in your household.
What do I have to do when I return to work?
- For 14 days post exposure you must:
- wear a P2/N95 respirator in clinical areas
- wear a surgical mask in non-clinical areas (e.g., staff only spaces)
- wear a surgical mask travelling to and from work
- not enter shared spaces such as tearooms and do not participate in any staff gatherings in the workplace where masks are likely to be removed
- carefully monitor your health and get tested if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 however mild.
My COVID-19 positive household member is still symptomatic on Day 7, can I return to work?
- Yes, if you are asymptomatic and have a negative Day 6 test you can still return to work on day 8.
- You should continue to carefully monitor your health and get tested if you have any symptoms of COVID-19, however mild.
Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) Kits
Where can I get RAT kits from?
RAT kit packs are available for Metro North Health staff and their immediate family to comply with the requirements of the following Health Direction: Management of Diagnosed Cases of COVID-19 and Close Contacts Direction (No. 3) | Queensland Health
In the first instance your line manager will be able to advise how you can access RAT kits.
Polymerase Chain reaction (PCR test)
Where can I get a PCR test done?
A full list of COVID-19 testing services open to the public is updated daily and can be found hereWhere can I find further information?
Information for staff who are close contacts can be found here.
Information about critically essential worker pathway can be found here.
Information for staff who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 can be found here.
Health advice can be obtained from your GP or 13 HEALTH (134 325).
Staff can call the HR hotline on 07 3646 5500 between 8am and 5pm seven days. The hotline offers clinical advice on returning to work and HR advice about leave entitlements for staff who are COVID positive or a close contact.