Greetings!
We just received word tonight that the San Francisco Health Officer issued an updated
Directive 2020-09b
,
Regarding Required Best Practices for Dental Health Care
, mandating that any patient undergoing any aerosolizing or surgical procedure must be tested for a current SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection between 0-7 days
before the scheduled aerosolizing
or surgical procedure
.
Section 6/6.1 of the updated Directive (page 9):
- 6.1 For patients or clients undergoing any aerosolizing or surgical procedure, the patient or client must be tested for a current SARS-CoV-2 infection between 0-7 days before the scheduled aerosolizing or surgical procedure (which can be a rapid test, if available, the day of the procedure), with the results being reported to or shared with the Dental Care Service before the surgical procedure if the test is not performed by the Dental Care Service. The test should be performed as close to the day of the procedure as possible. This test is in addition to the screening requirements on the day of the scheduled procedure. A test is not required for other pre- or post-procedure care that does not include an aerosolizing procedure.
This is a second, and more restrictive, Directive than the one issued Friday night and this will impact when you can see patients and what care you can provide without prior CoV-2 testing.
An important provision in the Directive advises, "Where a conflict exists between this Directive and any state, local, or federal public health order related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the most restrictive provision controls."
As we have previously noted, what is accurate in the morning may be inaccurate by the afternoon, or the following morning.
The SFDS is making every effort to communicate with the Mayor’s Office and the County Health Officer about this new Directive.
We will do our best to keep you updated on this changing landscape.
Sincerely,
