What to do if you test positive
If a colleague who provides direct inpatient care to severely immunocompromised patients receives a positive COVID-19 test result they must stay off work for ten days.
This includes the day the symptoms started, or the day a positive test was taken if they do not have symptoms, and the next ten full days.
This means that if, for example your symptoms started at any time on the 15th of month (or if you did not have symptoms but your first positive COVID-19 test was taken on 15th) you have to remain away from work until 11.59pm on the 25th.
Returning to work early
Colleagues can end this period early by undertaking a lateral flow device (LFD) test before work on day 5 and day 6 (24 hours apart) if both results are negative, colleagues can return to work under these conditions:
If either of the LFD tests results is positive you must continue to isolate. You should then wait 24 hours before taking the next LFD test to determine when you can return to work (with conditions) For example:
- If day 5 is positive, staff can return to work on day 7 if day 6 and day 7 LFD tests are negative
- If day 6 is positive, return day 8 (if day 7 and 8 LFD tests are negative)
- If day 7 is positive, return day 9 (if day 8 and day 9 tests are negative)
- If day 8 test is positive, return day 10 (if day 9 and day 10 tests are negative)
- If day 9 is positive, return day 11 (if day 10 and day 11 tests are negative)
Still positive on day 10
If still positive on day 10 staff can return to work on day 11 without the need for two negative LFD tests 24 hours apart, under the following conditions:
- Staff member does not have a high temperature/symptoms of COVID-19
- Line managers complete a risk assessment of staff who test positive between 10 and 14 days
- Staff member must return to work in an appropriate environment, avoiding areas (and being redeployed if necessary) with severely immunocompromised patients