The purpose of this memorandum is to provide updated protocols and to be a reference for City of Brockton employees and residents regarding COVID-19. These guidelines are intended to help ensure the health and safety of both the public and City employees.
Guidelines for the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Masks are recommended to be worn inside of City Hall, over the nose and mouth by the public and all employees regardless of vaccination status.
- Masks are available to the public and employees through BEMA.
For the below information, these words are defined as the following:
- Quarantine: keeping someone who might have been exposed to the virus away from others.
- Isolation: keeping someone who is infected with the virus away from others, even in their home.
- Close Contact: if an employee has been within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 cumulative minutes or more within a 24 hour period, in an indoor setting.
COVID-19 Symptoms
| · Fever (100 F or higher), chills, or shaking chills | · Sore throat |
| · Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath | · Nausea, vomiting |
| · New loss of taste or smell | · Headache |
| · Muscle aches or body aches | · Fatigue |
| · Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic) | · Nasal congestion or runny nose |
ISOLATION (if you test positive for COVID-19)
A COVID positive individual who is able to mask, regardless of vaccination status, should stay home for a minimum of 5 days. If symptoms are resolved/improving on day 6, the individual may resume most usual activities. They must continue wearing a mask when around others for an additional 5 days.
If a COVID positive individual is unable to mask, regardless of vaccination status, the individual should stay home for 10 days. If signs and symptoms are resolved/improving on day 11, the individual may resume most usual activities.
Testing is not required to return to work following isolation, as long as symptoms have resolved, and the individual is fever-free (without the use of fever-reducing medication) for a 24-hour period. If an individual wants to test, the best approach is to use an antigen test towards the end of the 5-day isolation period. If your test result is positive, you should continue to isolate until you test negative. Continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public until day 10.
QUARANTINE (if you were exposed to someone with COVID-19)
For individuals unvaccinated, or who are more than 5 months out from their second Pfizer or Moderna dose (or more than 2 months after J&J vaccine) and not yet boosted who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, the CDC now recommends quarantine.
Individuals who have received their booster do not need to quarantine following an exposure, but should wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure.
Regardless of vaccination status, all exposed individuals should consider viral testing on Day 5 following exposure, if possible.
COVID-19 Cases, Quarantine, & Isolation Requirements
- All questions related to an employee’s ability to report to and remain at work should be directed to the Board of Health
- The public and city employees shall not report to City Hall if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of vaccination status
- Individuals whose symptoms have not improved may not return to work
What to do if an employee:
- Has been exposed to COVID-19 (is a close contact of someone with COVID-19)
- An employee should inform their supervisor and Department Head immediately
- The Department Head should contact the City of Brockton Board of Health and the Human Resources Department as soon as they are contacted by the employee.
- The Board of Health will advise the department head and the employee directly.
- Tests positive for COVID-19
- An employee should inform their supervisor and Department Head immediately.
- The Department Head should contact the City of Brockton Board of Health and the Human Resources Department as soon as they are contacted by the employee.
- If the employee is at work when notified that they have tested positive for COVID-19, the Department Head should send the employee home immediately until they are contacted by the Board of Health.
- The employee should be in isolation for 5 days at the minimum.
- The Board of Health will advise the Department Head and the employee directly.
- Any COVID-19 positive employee is encouraged to report the positive result to their Primary Care Provider (PCP) as well for further guidance.
The below charts are for reference and should be utilized by department heads in conjunction with the decisions of the Board of Health and the patient’s physicians.
Positive for COVID-19 (Isolate)
| Tested Positive for COVID-19
(Regardless of vaccination status) |
Able to mask? YES | Able to mask? NO |
| · Stay home and isolate for at least the first 5 days.
· If you never had symptoms or symptoms are improving, *may resume most usual activities on day 6
· Wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days (including in the household).
|
· Stay home and isolate for 10 days.
· If you never had symptoms or symptoms are improving, *may resume usual activities on day 11.
|
*If you have or develop symptoms, you must continue to stay home until you have not had a fever for 24-hours without the use of fever lowering medications or until you have negative rapid antigen test result.
** Testing during isolation is not required. If you test on day 5 with a rapid antigen and are positive, you must continue to isolate. You may choose to retest between days 6-9 and can resume normal activities while wearing a well-fitting mask when you test negative.
“Up-to-date” on COVID-19 Vaccination is defined as:
- Completed the primary series of Pfizer, Moderna, J&J vaccine AND a booster dose
OR
- Completed the primary series of Pfizer, Moderna within the last 5 months
OR
- Completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months.
Exposed to COVID-19
|
Up-to-date on COVID-19 Vaccinations |
Able to mask? YES | Able to mask? NO |
| · No quarantine requirement.
· Wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days (including in the household).
· Rapid antigen or PCR on day 5 if possible. If test result positive, follow isolation guidelines.
· Isolate and take a rapid antigen or PCR test anytime symptoms develop.
|
· Quarantine for 10 days after the exposure.
· Can end quarantine prior to day 10 if test negative on or after day 5.
· Isolate and take a rapid antigen or PCR test anytime symptoms develop.
|
|
NOT Up-to-date on COVID-19 Vaccinations |
Able to mask? YES | Able to mask? NO |
| · Quarantine for 5 days after the exposure.
· Wear a well-fitting mask during quarantine and for additional 5 days when around others for 10 days (including in the household).
· If possible, take a rapid antigen or PCR on day 5 if possible. If test result positive, follow isolation guidelines.
· Isolate and take a rapid antigen or PCR test anytime symptoms develop.
|
· Quarantine for 10 days after the exposure.
· Can end quarantine prior to day 10 if test negative on or after day 5.
· If test positive, follow isolation guidance. If no test on or after day 5, must quarantine full 10 days.
· Isolate and take a rapid antigen or PCR test anytime symptoms develop.
|
*There are other COVID-19 considerations and the Board of Health should be contacted in every instance.
If an employee voluntarily goes home sick or is asked to leave because they are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms and then subsequently receives a negative COVID-19 test, they must use accrued time to be compensated. Employees are required to use accrued time when out sick.
The Department Head or supervisor that is notified should not make the determination for an employee regarding the necessity to quarantine or isolate.
Children ages 6 months to 5 years-old can get their COVID-19 primary series vaccination (Pfizer, Moderna).
Everyone ages 5 and older who lives, works, or studies in Massachusetts should get a COVID-19 booster.
Anyone ages 50 and older can get their second booster.
Thank you for your attention to this important COVID-19 protocol summary. Please stay safe and thank you for all that you do for our City.