COVID-19 Update: Guidance for High-Risk Employees; New Building Restrictions

As the Secretary mentioned in an earlier communication, the Smithsonian is instituting additional steps to ensure the safety of our staff, especially our most vulnerable staff, those that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicate are at higher risk for complications from COVID-19.

Certification Process for COVID-19 High Risk Status

Employees who feel that they are in the CDC’s higher risk category should take the following steps (Some mission critical positions may not be able to accommodate all requests):

STEP 1: Read the higher risk categories as identified by the CDC:

• Adults age 65 years and older
• People with the CDC identified serious underlying conditions like: Heart disease, Diabetes, Lung Disease.

STEP 2: Call the Smithsonian Occupational Health Service (OHS) for a consultation. You should not go to the clinic in person.

• Call 3-Well (202-633-9355) between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm (EDT) to speak with an Occupational Health Nurse.
• Let them know that you want to be certified as higher risk.
• The nurse will ask you a couple screening questions, and if you have any documentation.
• If you qualify under the CDC higher risk categories, OHS will issue you and your supervisor a Duty Disposition Report (DDR). The nurse will not share your personal health information with your supervisor.
• If you have a condition that is not in the CDC list, and your personal medical provider has designated you in writing as higher risk, your documentation will be reviewed at on a case-by-case basis. People who MAY be at increased risk include asthmatics, pregnant, and severe immunocompromised. Many serious medical conditions do not place you at increased risk of COVID-19 complications. This is not to say they are not serious medical conditions; even healthy young people have become gravely ill from COVID-19. As a community we need to work together to reduce risk as low as possible to support those who are truly higher risk.

Additional Telework and Building Restrictions:

Beginning Monday March 23, non-emergency, non-essential staff must have the permission of their supervisor or facility director to enter a Smithsonian-owned or leased facility. The Office of Protection Services (OPS) will be working with unit and facility directors and emergency staff to implement day-to-day access procedures. OPS is assisting the process with the implementation of sign-in/sign-out sheets for staff entering each facility.

This new process will allow unit leadership to ensure employees are maximizing use of telework options, as well as providing critical information to appropriate staff and agencies if a positive COVID-19 case is identified within our facilities. The sign-in/sign-out process will be the responsibility of the OPS officer. We ask that employees entering their facility use social distancing, and hold up their SI credential so that the officer at the entrance can accurately log the employee’s name.

Other steps Smithsonian has already taken to reduce risk include decreasing the number of staff in any location, health screening, sending symptomatic persons home/telework, and we are looking into alternatives and assistance with commute/parking difficulties. Already you should be seeing changes that allow social distancing, alternate work schedules, and flexible start times.

For more information on Smithsonian’s Response to COVID-19, visit this website.

If you have questions or concerns, email the COVID-19 Response Team at si-coronavirusinfo@si.edu.

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