Quebec outlines conditions for health workers with COVID-19 to return to work

Vaccinated Quebec health-care workers who test positive for COVID-19 could be allowed back on the job after seven days if they have no symptoms.

Officials made the announcement Wednesday during a technical briefing with reporters, a day after Health Minister Christian Dubé announced that isolation time for health-care staff would be reduced from the standard 10 days to avoid a breakdown in services.

They said that in emergency situations, health-care staff could return to work after seven days of isolation if they are vaccinated with at least two doses.

Officials said vaccinated health-care workers who are exposed to COVID-19 outside their homes no longer need to isolate. Workers who are exposed to a positive case at home, however, are asked to isolate for seven days.

They also announced new rules for other workers deemed essential, such as police officers, firefighters and snow-removal workers.

Officials say if service disruptions are imminent, asymptomatic essential workers could be called back to work six days after testing positive for COVID-19.

They say it will be up to employers to judge whether to call a COVID-19-positive employee back on the job before the end of the standard 10-day isolation period.

Meanwhile, Quebec continues to break records in new daily COVID-19 cases.

Health officials are reporting 13,149 new infections today and 10 more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus. They said COVID-19-related hospitalizations rose by 102 compared with the prior day, to 804, after 179 people entered hospital and 77 were discharged. There are 122 people in intensive care, a rise of seven patients.

by The Canadian Press