Question about Covid Testing Neg before returning to work after Pos

[Tidybuoy]

Running something by you guys.

I work for a food manufacturing plant. To date, we've had about 20 positives for Covid and most recovered at home and returned.

Recently, we had the first case in the admin office (where I work), and the guy who got is also has a wife that works in the plant and she tested positive too. They have both been at home recovering for about 2 weeks.

The office guy returned today and I stopped to talk with him (maintaining my distance) and wanted to hear about his experience. He told me it was awful as he had extreme sore throat, difficulty breathing, sore muscles, loss of taste, and a fever for 11 days over 101. He still can't taste anything and said he bit into an onion and couldn't taste or smell it.

I asked if he had tested negative now and he tells me he didn't have to (per his doctor). The doc stated that it's been over 10 days, you are no longer contagious.

This kind of concerned me and I sent the question to our HR (who is a complete dimwit) and the response I got was....A Doctor's note or public health note is all that is required because it takes a month to get results from a test. I know for a fact that we have several people getting tested and got their results within days. On a side note, our HR manager has been working from home since March as she is fearful of Covid and claims she has gotten it 3 times during her absence. She pops in a few days a month.

I'm wondering if it takes longer to get a neg test result after you've had confirmed Covid?

Any opinions on this?

[red-beard]

CDC guidelines

see here, these are the latest, updated 2 days ago

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html

These are the isolation guidelines if you in fact have COVID-19

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/isolation.html

When you can be around others (end home isolation) depends on different factors for different situations.

Find CDC’s recommendations for your situation below.

I think or know I had COVID-19, and I had symptoms
You can be with others after:

At least 10 days since symptoms first appeared and
At least 24 hours with no fever without fever-reducing medication and
Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving**Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation​
If you had severe illness from COVID-19 (you were admitted to a hospital and needed oxygen), your healthcare provider may recommend that you stay in isolation for longer than 10 days after your symptoms first appeared (possibly up to 20 days) and you may need to finish your period of isolation at home.

I tested positive for COVID-19 but had no symptoms
If you continue to have no symptoms, you can be with others after:

10 days have passed since the date you had your positive test
If you develop symptoms after testing positive, follow the guidance above for “I think or know I had COVID, and I had symptoms.”

[David]

We don’t require a negative test. Story I got is that you could still test positive but not have live Covid.

We require 10 days after positive test and at least 3 days without a fever.

The kicker is, if you were exposed to someone who tested positive (living with them or within 6’ for 15 minutes over 24 hours) you have to quarantine for 14 days.

[Tidybuoy]

Thanks!

If my HR Manager would provide some information like that, rather than act like she knows everything and not supply any details, I might just believe her.

I cannot tell you how many times I have had to look up the legal details of an issue only to contradict her usual "I know the law, don't question me". Now, I'm going back home.

[mepstein]

It’s not uncommon to test positive for 90+ days after becoming infected. The standard is 10 days after symptoms start to go away and no fever for at least 24 hours without taking fever reducing meds. My wife does this for a living but confirm with your doc in case I translated incorrectly.