Guidance for Responding to Reports of COVID-19 exposures and/or positive test results

In the past week, the Santa Cruz community learned of more cases of COVID–19. Additional cases were confirmed in Santa Cruz (7) and Santa Clara (more than 65) counties. One of the Santa Cruz cases involves an employee at Rio Del Mar Elementary School. County health officials are investigating all cases, and school and airport authorities are taking actions for prevention.

As we learn of more cases in our community, it is natural for everyone to feel concerned about potential exposure to someone with COVID–19, and it’s sensible to take precautions.

We write to offer guidance for when you hear from staff who are concerned about exposure to COVID–19, who are being tested for COVID–19, and/or who may have a confirmed case of COVID–19 in their close community of relatives and friends. Often when these reports are made, they come with great expectations for managers to immediately do something - for example, close an office, notify a community/department or other cohort, request that everyone be tested and so on. It is critical that as campus leaders, we take pause to act efficiently and methodically, so as not to make a misstep. The information below is designed to help managers assess the situation and identify steps to take.

As a first step, managers need to remember that medical information about individuals is protected under HIPAA and student information is protected under HIPAA and FERPA. It’s critical that information be held in confidence and that disclosures of protected information are managed within federal and University policy. We remind you to take great care to avoid unnecessarily disclosing anyone’s medical condition or other private information.

What to do if:

An employee shares information that they were exposed to someone confirmed to have COVID–19.

1. Gather as much information about the circumstances as you can, without asking about the employee’s private health information.
   1. Are they certain it was a confirmed case?
   2. Was the exposure direct and close contact?
   3. When did the exposure occur? Where?
   4. Is the employee feeling any symptoms?
2. Notify the Director of Emergency Services, Lisa Ehret at (831) 234–3551 or EHS Director Lisa Wisser at (831) 212–2839‬. After discussing the circumstances with Emergency Services, you will receive support and guidance on what to do.

An employee shares information that they ‘think’ they were exposed to an individual with COVID–19 symptoms.

1. Gather as much information about the circumstances as you can, without asking about the employee’s private health information.
   1. What were the circumstances of the possible exposure?
   2. Was the exposure direct and close contact? Where did this happen?
   3. Do they know the symptoms the person was experiencing? If yes, what were they?
   4. Is the employee feeling any symptoms?
2. If there is no direct evidence of a COVID–19 exposure, no further action is necessary within your unit. However, please notify the Office of Emergency Services of this event, oes@ucsc.edu.

An employee shares that they are being tested for COVID–19.

1. Gather as much information about the circumstances as you can, without asking about the employee’s private health information.
   1. What were the circumstances of the possible exposure?
   2. When and where did the exposure occur?
   3. Remind the employee about the support available.
2. Notify Director of Emergency Management, Lisa Ehret, (831) 234–3551 or EHS Director Lisa Wisser at (831) 212–2839. After discussing the circumstances with Emergency Services, you may be advised to:
   1. Receive and forward a campus advisory communication to your unit. The advisory may include directions regarding remote operations or other instructions. The content for this communication will be provided by Emergency Services.
   2. As a manager, ensure your team has the resources necessary for remote operations. For essential operations that cannot be performed remotely, assign members who have not been exposed.
   3. Emergency Services will provide guidance with respect to issues related to self-quarantine, isolation, telecommuting, etc.

An employee shares that they tested positive for COVID–19.

1. Gather as much information about the circumstances as you can, without asking about the employee’s private health information.
   1. What were the circumstances of the possible exposure?
   2. When and where did the exposure occur?
   3. Remind the employee about the support available.
2. Notify Office of Emergency Services at (831) 234–3551 or EHS Director Lisa Wisser at (831) 212–2839.
3. After discussing the circumstances with Emergency Services, you may be advised to:
   1. Receive and forward a campus advisory communication to your unit. The advisory may include directions regarding remote operations or other instructions. The content for this communication will be provided by Emergency Services.
   2. As a manager, ensure your team has the resources necessary for remote operations. For essential operations that cannot be performed remotely, assign members who have not been exposed.
   3. Emergency Services will provide guidance with respect to issues related to self-quarantine, isolation, telecommuting, etc.

Note: Emergency Services will coordinate closely with the campus Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT) inclusive of EH&S and Student Health Center experts who are in consultation and coordination with Santa Cruz County Health.

SCENARIOS:

Q. An employee came to work while they were sick. This event raised concerns by members of the department. Should I direct the office to work remotely?

If it was observed that the ill colleague was showing signs of fever, cough or shortness of breath, then managers may designate certain employees to work from home. If employees are designated to work from home, it will be considered paid work status. Employees in positions who are directed not to come to work by the University and are unable to work from home due to the nature of their work (as determined by the manager) should use available leave balances (e.g. sick leave, vacation, PTO-sick, or other accrued leave), and if all available leave balances have been exhausted, the University will provide up to fourteen (14) days paid administrative leave to cover the absence. Supervisors/managers are required to submit a Request for Paid Administrative Leave for each employee who needs paid administrative leave. Managers may determine which positions to designate to work from home; however, all healthcare workers are considered exempt from this category of designation.

An employee, their child or a member of their household had an interaction with someone who is now showing signs of COVID–19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath). How shall I respond?

Unless the person has a confirmed case of COVID–19, no action is needed.