Aug
31

OSHEM COVID Program Update: Revised Daily Health Screening Questions and Actions

COVID-19 and the Way Ahead

As we announced last week, we have made changes to COVID safety measures to align with the latest CDC guidance. Beginning tomorrow, the Smithsonian will no longer conduct contact tracing. With this change, we have updated our daily health screening questions. Anyone reporting to a Smithsonian owned or operated facility is required to ask themselves these questions and honestly answer prior to their arrival at the workplace.

Health Screening Question 1: The first question remains the same – we continue to require that you stay home if you feel sick or are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19. If you are feeling unwell, the questionnaire includes directions to test for COVID-19.

Health Screening Question 2: The second question has changed slightly. If you do test positive for COVID-19, please continue to report your case to Occupational Health Services (OHS) by emailing SI-CoronavirusInfo@si.edu. OHS will provide a return-to-work date and instructions on what to tell anyone you may have exposed during your infectious period. With this change, you are now responsible for notifying anyone you may have exposed and they should consult the CDC’s understanding exposure risk website to determine if they are a primary contact to better understand their risk. The website’s easy-to-use instructions are helpful for colleagues, friends, family, and anyone else you may have encountered.

Health Screening Question 3: In regard to the third question, if you have been potentially exposed to someone who has tested positive for the virus or if you are unsure if you have been exposed to COVID, the questionnaire directs you again to the CDC’s understanding exposure risk website. The website walks you through several variables to help you assess if you are at low or high risk of exposure after you spent time with a COVID-19 positive person (the higher the exposure, the more likely you will contract COVID-19). If multiple scenarios hold true, you are at the highest likelihood of becoming ill, should consider yourself exposed, and should take as many precautions as possible to ensure you do not further spread the disease.

One precaution that is always available to the Smithsonian community is wearing a high-quality mask. Masks are allowed to be worn by anyone at our facilities and everyone should be encouraged to do so. Should you need or want to wear N95 respirators or KN95 masks at work, please order those supplies through your unit’s Safety Coordinator.

Finally, please remember to review the COVID safety measures in each category of the Smithsonian Regional Levels on the COVID-19 Way Ahead website. As of tomorrow, the D.C. region will be in Low.

Thank you for your attention to these updates, your dedication to keeping your colleagues safe, and your flexibility as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic together.

Stay COVID Safe,
OSHEM COVID Program

s.si.edu/COVID-19


Posted: 31 August 2022
About the Author:

Alex di Giovanni is primarily responsible for "other duties as assigned" in the Office of Communications and External Affairs. She has been with the Smithsonian since 2006 and plans to be interred in the Smithson crypt.