The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday issued updated guidance[1] for the steps critical businesses should take when one of their workers is potentially exposed to COVID-19. The guidance applies to workers supporting e-commerce operations, like Amazon warehouse workers. The e-commerce giant has come under fire from both warehouse workers and lawmakers concerned that it hasn't acted quickly enough to protect workers.
As defined by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), "critical infrastructure workers[2]" currently includes "workers supporting ecommerce through distribution, warehouse, call center facilities, and other essential operational support functions."
According to the new guidance, if an employee becomes sick during the day, they should be sent home immediately[3]. Surfaces in their workspace should be cleaned and disinfected[4]. Employers should keep track of who the sick employee came into contact with, while they were symptomatic and two days prior to that. Anyone who was within six feet of that individual during that period should be considered exposed.
The CDC says that critical infrastructure workers may continue working after potential exposure to the virus, as long as they're asymptomatic and additional precautions are taken. Those include:
- Pre-Screening: Employers should measure the employee's temperature and assess symptoms prior to them starting work -- ideally, before they enter the facility. Ideally, temperature checks should happen before the individual enters the facility.
- Regular Monitoring: As long as the employee doesn't have a temperature or symptoms, they should self-monitor under the supervision of their employer's occupational health program.
- Wear a Mask: The employee should wear a face mask at all times while in the workplace for 14 days after last exposure. Employers can issue facemasks or can approve employees' supplied cloth face coverings in the event of