Employees who have tested positive for COVID-19

Learn how to protect your workers when one of your employees has tested positive for COVID-19.

If a person tests positive, how long does it take to complete contact tracing both inside and outside our facility?

Public Health no longer conducts contact tracing for all cases of COVID-19. If an employee has tested positive for COVID-19 or been told that they have COVID-19, they will need to self-isolate, manage their symptoms, and let their close contacts know. However, contact tracing is important to help identify people who may have COVID-19 sooner and prevent the virus from spreading in the community. Notifying close contacts helps protect people in the community.

Should we require a worker who has tested positive to submit a clearance that they are okay to come back to work?

Yes. Two negative tests are required before an employee may be considered recovered. In addition, as with other viruses, COVID-19 may cause other complications that make it unsafe for the employee's own health to return to work even after the viral infection is cleared. Return to Work policies vary widely from company to company, but a doctor's note helps ensure the health and safety of the returning employee as well as other workers on site. The investigating health authority may impose additional protocols for return to work as well.

If an employee has tested positive, what actions should the company take with respect to assessing the risk to other employees and their products?

Employers are expected to follow s. 5.2 and 5.59 (general industry) or s. 6.33 to 6.40 (healthcare and similar sectors) in relation to COVID-19 exposure in their workplace.

People who public health has determined are infected with COVID-19 will be monitored by their local public health office, which will conduct contact tracing and provide them with advice as to treatment, self-isolation, and eventual return to work. Being considered to be infected with COVID-19 is a medical diagnosis, which is personal information. The employer will need to follow directions provided by public health, if a public health officer advises them that a person who is or has been present at the workplace is an infected person and requests that the employer report the contact information, if known, of each person who may have been exposed to the infected person, and consider their privacy law obligations.

Follow the instructions from the public health office.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency will advise if there are food product-specific requirements.

No product recalls have been announced in association with outbreaks in food facilities, as there have not been any reports of coronavirus being transmitted through food or food packaging.

If an employee has tested positive for COVID-19 should employees that have worked in close proximity to that worker be required to self isolate?

Close contacts of a COVID-19 positive worker will need to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and self-isolate IF they are not fully immunized.

If a person has had Covid-19, what does the research show about the possibility of contracting it again or are they considered immune?

At this time, it is considered highly unlikely they will get it again but not impossible. There is not enough data to date to answer this definitively.

Are there recommendations on how to handle work station when someone gets sick, is there any specific way on how to handle the cleaning and sanitation?

For cleaning and sanitation procedures, refer to ‘EACO Emerging and Existing Pathogen Cleaning – Best Practices for Environmental Professional Services’ (Version 1 2020) plus ‘Updated Safer Disinfectants List’ (March 26, 2020).

If a worker is living with a family that is COVID-19 positive, is it ok for the employer to ask employee to stay home for 14 days ?

Close contacts of a COVID-19 positive worker will need to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and self-isolate IF they are not fully immunized.

If your worker is fully vaccinated or has had COVID-19 in the last 90 days, they are not required to self-isolate and can continue to participate in routine activities, such as work or school, as long as they do not have any symptoms.

Those who are NOT fully vaccinated are required to self-isolate for 10 days from the day they last had contact with the person who has COVID-19, even if they do not have symptoms.

What if one of your workers lives with another person who works at a facility experiencing an outbreak?

Those who are NOT fully vaccinated are required to self-isolate for 10 days from the day they last had contact with the person who has COVID-19, even if they do not have symptoms.

Does an employer receive notification from health services if a positive case has recovered and is cleared to return to work?

Employers will not receive notification from their local health authority if a worker with COVID-19 has recovered and can return to work. Fully vaccinated workers can return to work when at least 5 days have passed since their symptoms started. They should wear a mask, even in settings where a mask isn’t required and avoid higher-risk settings.

Do the health authorities notify an employer if their employee tested positive to ensure they are aware that the rest of the staff may be infected?

No – the health authority will not always notify an employer when an employee has tested positive. Workers who have tested positive for COVID-19 should contact their close contacts.