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Page 4 of 6 <br /> <br />(a) Identify and Isolate Suspected Cases <br />In all workplaces where exposure to the COVID-19 may occur, prompt identification and <br />isolation of potentially infectious individuals is a critical first step in protecting workers, visitors, <br />and others at the worksite. <br /> Immediately isolate people suspected of having COVID-19. For example, move potentially <br />infectious people to isolation rooms and close the doors. On an aircraft, move potentially <br />infectious people to seats away from passengers and crew, if possible and without <br />compromising aviation safety. In other worksites, move potentially infectious people to a <br />location away from workers, customers, and other visitors. <br /> Take steps to limit spread of the person’s infectious respiratory secretions, including by <br />providing them a facemask and asking them to wear it, if they can tolerate doing so. Note: A <br />surgical mask on a patient or other sick person should not be confused with PPE for a worker; <br />the mask acts to contain potentially infectious respiratory secretions at the source (i.e., the <br />person’s nose and mouth). <br /> If possible, isolate people suspected of having COVID-19 separately from those with confirmed <br />cases of the virus to prevent further transmission, including in screening, triage, or healthcare <br />facilities. <br /> Restrict the number of personnel entering isolation areas, including the room of a patient with <br />suspected/confirmed COVID-19. <br /> Protect workers in close contact* with the sick person by using additional engineering and <br />administrative control, safe work practices and PPE. <br />*CDC defines "close contact" as being about six (6) feet (approximately two (2) meters) from an <br />infected person or within the room or care area of an infected patient for a prolonged period <br />while not wearing recommended PPE. Close contact also includes instances where there is direct <br />contact with infectious secretions while not wearing recommended PPE. Close contact generally <br />does not include brief interactions, such as walking past a person. <br />(b) Environmental Decontamination <br />At this time, there is no evidence that the COVID-19 is spread through environmental exposures, <br />such as coming into contact with contaminated surfaces. <br />Because the transmissibility of COVID-19 from contaminated environmental surfaces and <br />objects is not fully understood, employers should carefully evaluate whether or not work areas <br />occupied by people suspected to have virus may have been contaminated and whether or not <br />they need to be decontaminated in response. <br />Outside of healthcare and deathcare facilities, there is typically no need to perform special <br />cleaning or decontamination of work environments when a person suspected of having the virus <br />has been present, unless those environments are visibly contaminated with blood or other body <br />fluids. In limited cases where further cleaning and decontamination may be necessary, consult <br />U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for cleaning and disinfecting <br />environments, including those contaminated with other coronavirus.