On July 15, CDC released a new update on guidance during the COVID pandemic. The new guidance is very confusing and contradicts itself in several areas. This is our best interpretation we can offer.
Eye Protection. The new guidance states that healthcare providers should wear eye protection in addition to masks. Regular eye glasses do not appear to qualify as eye protection, leaving goggles, shields and wraps. In another area the guidance states that you can wear eye protection AND/OR a N95 mask. This makes no sense as an N95 mask provides no eye protection. The proposed use of N95 masks on a routine basis also contradicts all guidance on conserving PPP. It is very possible the new eye protection requirement was meant for procedures where there is potential exposure to aerosol generating particles.
For now, the wear of eye protection is certainly not a bad ideas but it waits to be seen exactly what the guidance is all about.
Return to Work. Far clearer, two changes were made in the symptom based approach for determining a back to work timeline. The new criteria changes the time for from the last symptoms past a negative test from 72 hours to 24 hours. It also states improvement in symptoms (any or all) opposed to the prior limitation to respiratory symptoms.
Additional confusing information can be read here.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/infection-control-recommendations.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/infection-control.html
