REVISED
Q&A
Q: When can a recovering COVID-19 patient return to work?
REVISED ANSWER:
Ensure that employees who have symptoms of respiratory illness stay home and do not come to work until:
- They are free of fever (>100.4°F) for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine; AND
- Symptoms have improved; AND
- Ten days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
- Additional FAQ for businesses from the CDC
CDC GUIDANCE
WAS REVISED ON 7/17/20 TO "24 HOURS WITHOUT SYMPTOMS" (PREVIOUSLY 72 HOURS)
Q: Where can I get a test?
- Call your primary care physician and request a COVID-19 test.
- Visit a community testing site. In Winnebago County, Advocate Aurora Health is offering limited community testing to people who have at least one symptom or have been exposed to COVID-19.
- There are currently no community testing sites in Winnebago County for asymptomatic (no symptoms) individuals.
- Click here to see additional community testing sites throughout Wisconsin.
Q: My college age child is living in an apartment for the summer in the town where she goes to college. She is very healthy otherwise, but tested positive for COVID-19. Should I insist she come home?
A: We do not recommend young adults leave summer housing in their college area to come home unless your child has an underlying medical condition that could be complicated by COVID-19; needs healthcare and must be within network to receive care; or has a lot of roommates and can't self-isolate at their college residence but could isolate at their parents and expose less people. As long as they can safely distance themselves from others in their current living situation, they should stay in that local community so they do not further spread the virus.
Q: What should I do if my employer is not protecting workers from COVID-19?
A: Private sector employees: Contact your personnel department to find out what your employer’s COVID-19 safety plan is. If you believe that your employer’s policy is not protecting workers from COVID-19, you can contact your
OSHA regional office
by phone or online at the
OSHA website
.
Many complaints are handled informally by OSHA. There are whistleblower provisions which are designed to protect employees who file a complaint from losing employment or pay, and OSHA has a whistleblower liaison.
Public sector employees: Contact your personnel department to find out what your employer’s COVID-19 safety plan is. If you believe that your employer’s policy is not protecting workers from COVID-19, you can send questions or concerns to the
Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) Tech mailbox
. You can also file a complaint or concern on the
DSPS webpage
.
Click on “file a complaint” on the right side of the page to reach an online form. Make sure to enter your category and profession in the dropdown boxes to route your question, concern, or complaint to the right person.
