COVID-19 Information For Employees

EMPLOYEE HAS COVID-19 SYMPTOMS OR TESTS POSITIVE

CDPH Isolation recommendations have moved away from five days of isolation and instead focus on clinical symptoms to determine when to end isolation.

If You Are Experiencing Symptoms But Have Not Tested Positive (i.e. you feel sick)

Do not come to campus and notify your supervisor.
You may use available sick or vacation leave, as necessary.
Once you are fever-free for 24 hours and symptoms have improved, you may return to work.
You do not need to send test results to the District.

If You Test Positive For COVID-19 and Have Symptoms

Do not come to campus and notify both your supervisor and COVID@miracosta.edu.
You may use available sick or vacation leave, as necessary.
Isolation is at least 24 hours. You may return to campus once you are fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication and symptoms have improved. CDPH Isolation Guidance changes periodically, so please make sure to contact COVID@miracosta.edu to obtain the most up-to-date guidance.
It is recommended to wear a mask indoors around people for 10 days. You do not need to wear a mask indoors if you test negative twice at least one day apart.
Risk Management will need the following information:
- Date of positive test
- Date of symptom onset (if any)
- Last day on campus
- Locations worked on last day on campus
- Any employees that may have been within close contact with the affected individual within the 48 hours of symptom onset or positive test
  - Close Contact is defined by the CDPH as the following:
    - In indoor spaces of 400,000 or fewer cubic feet per floor (such as homes, clinic waiting rooms, airplanes, etc.), close contact is defined as sharing the same indoor airspace for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (for example, three individual 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes) during a confirmed case's infectious period.
    - In large indoor spaces greater than 400,000 cubic feet per floor (such as open-floor-plan offices, warehouses, large retail stores, manufacturing, or food processing facilities), close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of the infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period during the confirmed case's infectious period.
    - Spaces that are separated by floor-to-ceiling walls (e.g., offices, suites, rooms, waiting areas, bathrooms, or break or eating areas that are separated by floor-to-ceiling walls) must be considered distinct indoor airspaces.
    - Risk Management will send out a close contact notification to any employees identified above, with instructions regarding any potential additional actions.

If You Test Positive For COVID-19 But Do Not Have Symptoms

You may come to campus if you do not have symptoms.
You should wear a mask indoors around people for 10 days. You do not need to wear a mask indoors if you test negative twice at least one day apart.
If you develop symptoms, follow the isolation protocol listed for COVID-positive people with symptoms.

If You Are Identified As A Close Contact Of A Person With COVID-19 and Symptoms:

You may come to campus. You do not need to isolate.
Report details to COVID@miracosta.edu and Risk Management can communicate most current guidance.
If you do not develop symptoms, you do not need to test, but consider testing within 5 days if you will be around higher-risk people or are higher-risk yourself.
If you develop symptoms, test right away and follow the protocols listed for COVID-positive people with symptoms.
Contact with a COVID-positive person without symptoms is not considered close contact.

COVID-19 Supplemental Benefits

Supplementary Paid Sick Leave (i.e. “COVID Sick Leave”) expired at the end of 2022 and is no longer available. Exclusion pay related to being excluded from work due to COVID-19 has also expired. If an employee must isolate or quarantine from work due to COVID-19 illness, they may still be eligible for certain benefits. Employees should contact the Human Resources Department at hr_department@miracosta.edu with questions regarding benefits.

Mask Policy

Effective May 11, 2023, the CDC eliminated its “COVID-19 Community Levels” and as a result, the CDPH sunset its previous guidance. Wearing a mask is not mandated by the district and it is up to individual risk assessment. The district recommends the following mask protocols indoors, consistent with current CDPH guidance:

If you test positive for COVID-19, masking for 10 days is recommended.
If you believe you were exposed and will be in contact with someone who is higher risk, consider wearing a mask.
If you are at higher-risk of becoming severely ill, consider wearing a mask when you are in an indoor public setting with poor ventilation, or when you are travelling on public transportation.

In the event of a confirmed COVID-19 outbreak on campus, KN95 masks and N95 respirators are available to employees by request through Melanie Haynie in Administrative Services at mhaynie@miracosta.edu.

Continuing COVID-19 Safety Protocols

The District will continue safety strategy in line with the state SMARTER plan for COVID-19. This includes:

Shots: Promoting the benefits of vaccination and scheduling vaccination events on campus
Masks: Maintaining supply of disposable masks and respirators, as required by Cal/OSHA.
Awareness: Analysis of community case rate, positivity percentage, and wastewater metrics to inform mitigation methods
Readiness: Maintaining MERV13+ ventilation standards in all District-owned buildings
Testing: Maintaining our supply of rapid antigen at-home tests for employee use, as when required by Cal/OSHA
Education: Providing appropriate training & recommendations based on public health guidance
Rx: Promoting effective treatments per CDC/NIH guidelines

For any questions regarding District COVID-19 safety policy, please reach out to Risk & Safety Manager Justin Crast at jcrast@miracosta.edu or at COVID@miracosta.edu.

The most current COVID Prevention Plan can be read on the Risk Management SharePoint site.

Stay healthy & safe!