(Updated 05/05/2020)
Healthcare workers (HCWs) who develop respiratory symptoms must self-isolate immediately
Healthcare workers with symptoms
As a healthcare worker, you will be referred for testing if you meet the following criteria:
Have a sudden onset of at least one of the following symptoms: cough, fever, shortness of breath.
Or
Sudden onset of loss of sense of smell, loss of sense of taste or distortion of sense of taste and there is no other reasonable explanation for the sudden symptoms.
Or
You have a respiratory illness and have been in contact with a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case in the last 14 days before the onset of symptoms.
The test is carried out in a testing hub or by the National Ambulance Service if you cannot travel.
Assessment and testing of healthcare workers by Occupational Health
Occupational Health will carry out an assessment and arrange testing for symptomatic HCWs who:
- are known COVID-19 close or casual contacts, or
- have been identified as essential to critical services by their manager
All other HCWs should contact their GP to be assessed for testing.
Where Occupational Health is not available you should contact your GP and inform Occupational Health as soon as possible.
Contact details for local Occupational Health departments
Symptomatic healthcare workers who do not meet the criteria for testing
Healthcare workers who are symptomatic and do not fill the criteria for testing will be advised to self-isolate for 14 days.
Related content
Occupational Health guidance for managing COVID-19 exposures