question: Questions addressing the proper handling of healthcare personnel (HCP) who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection, but are still within 3 months of onset of their prior infection.
answer: If HCP within 3 months of their initial infection develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19, should they be excluded from work or retested? If HCP develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19 within 3 months of a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection they should be evaluated to identify potential etiologies for their symptoms. If an etiology for the symptoms other than SARS-CoV-2 cannot be identified, they may need to be retested for SARS-CoV-2 infection. If testing is performed, an antigen test instead of a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) is recommended.  Decisions about the need for and duration of work restriction should be based upon their suspected diagnosis (e.g., influenza, SARS-CoV-2 infection). Do HCP within 3 months of their initial infection need to wear all recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for patients with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection? For example, if there are limited respirators, should respirators be prioritized for HCP who have not been previously infected? Regardless of suspected or confirmed immunity, HCP should always wear all recommended PPE when caring for patients. In situations of PPE shortages, facilities should refer to CDC strategies for optimizing PPE supply. However, as with other infectious diseases (e.g., measles), allocation of available PPE should not be based on whether HCP have been previously infected or have evidence of immunity.