Employee Screening Guidelines and FAQ

Updated on May 7, 2024

• Symptoms of COVID-19
• Required notification for a suspected COVID-19 infection
• Return to work/campus/clinical workflow (SB & Riv. County, LLU Student) and Employee and LLU Student Exposure Algorithm
• Visiting (non-LLU) Students
• Daily Symptom Screen and Exposure Determinations
  • Screening Strategy
    • Covid-19 Exposures in clinical/clinical-support setting 
    • University Employee Screening Strategy
    • University Student Screening Strategy
    • Covid-19 Exposures in University Setting 
• FAQ

Please REMEMBER:

If you are COVID-19 positive OR exposed to COVID-19 (at home or work) you must tell Employee Health (COVID19_Employee_Health@LLU.edu) immediately. LLU students should notify Student  Health (COVID19_Student_Health@LLU.edu). 

If you are a supervisor for an employee who is COVID-19 positive or who was exposed to COVID-19, you must inform Employee Health  (COVID19_Employee_Health@LLU.edu).

Symptoms of COVID-19:

ALL Employees and LLU students with symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home. They should follow the “Return to Work” guidance on One Portal for county where their work site is located. 

Employees/LLU Students who come to work are acknowledging that they have read the guidelines and have no reason(s) to stay home.  Do NOT come to work if you may be developing a new illness that includes any of these symptoms: 

• Fever (Temp  ≥  37.8°C/100.0°F)
• Chills
• Shortness of breath
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Not feeling well­­­
• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Fatigue
• Sore muscles
• Headache
• Loss of taste or smell
• Gastrointestinal symptoms such as:
  • Soft stool
  • Stomach cramps

Employees:  If there is reason to believe you have COVID-19, you should contact your health care provider AND notify Employee Health (COVID19_Employee_Health@LLU.edu) so we can complete contact tracing and quarantine others who you may have infected. 

Required notification for a suspected COVID-19 infection

Effective May 1, 2024 COVID-19 reporting is no longer required by the California Department of Public Health.

LLU Faculty/Non-Clinical Employees

• Effective May 1, COVID-19 reporting is no longer required by the CA Department of Public Health. Therefore, all non-clinical University employees who do not perform clinical duties, now fall under the state’s guidance for the general population and do not need to isolate for 5 days if COVID positive.  Non-Clinical University employees may now discontinue isolation once afebrile for 24 hours, and symptoms are mild and improving. If non-clinical University employees who are asymptomatic return to work, they are required to mask for 10 days or until they have 2 consecutive negative tests. Read more here.
• Please review the updated Return-to-Work Algorithm below for LLU Non-Clinical Faculty/Employees.

Department heads, supervisors and managers

If your employee calls off sick:

• Direct them to their primary care provider if the exposure to COVID-19 did not happen at work. 
• Direct them to Occupational Medicine if the exposure did happen at work.

What if you already had COVID-19?

If you tested positive for COVID-19 more than 90 days in the past and were cleared to return to work, you should follow the same process as someone who has never had COVID-19. 

If you tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 90 days and were cleared to return to work, you most likely should not get tested again, even if you develop COVID-19 like symptoms.  You should stay home while ill and seek medical care for your illness as appropriate.

LLU Student Return to Campus and LLU Student Exposure Algorithm

• CDPH guidance is divided into different categories for clearance, including consideration for whether you are in the general public OR working in a healthcare setting (this applies to LLU students on clinical rotations).

Daily Symptom Screen and Exposure Determinations

There are two strategies based on area of work:

• Clinical/clinical support areas
• University areas 

The current symptom list is included for reference below the strategies.

Clinical and Clinical Support Area Guidelines

Screening Strategy:

In clinical and clinical support settings (including all administration supporting clinical settings, for example- accounting, credentialing, information technology, shared services, etc.):

1. Each employee/sLLU tudent should self-monitor for symptoms and not report to work if ill.
2. At the beginning of each workday, each employee/LLU student should take personal responsibility to seek out and complete the screening process (including having their temperature checked and answering symptom questions).   
3. If temperature is elevated or symptoms present, the employee should go home.  If symptoms or fever develop during the work day, the employee/LLU student should go home immediately.

Covid-19 Exposures in clinical/clinical-support setting 

Must meet definition of close contact 

Loma Linda’s COVID-19 exposure definition has been updated.  The definition of close contact (in the context of exposure) is as follows:

In indoor spaces of 400,000 or fewer cubic feet per floor (such clinic waiting rooms, etc.), close contact is defined as sharing the same indoor airspace  for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period with a COVID-19 positive case.

In large indoor spaces greater than 400,000 cubic feet per floor (such as open-floor-plan offices, warehouses), close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of the infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.”

The employee was present during an aerosol-generating/high hazard procedure for a COVID-19 positive case and

A) was not wearing a powered air purifying respirator (PAPR); or

B) did not use a hood or other ventilated enclosure on the patient that effectively contained the patient’s aerosols while the employee was wearing a respirator other than a PAPR, regardless of the length of time.

The following are sites on campus that are greater than 400,000 cubic feet:

• 125 Warehouse space
• 195 Warehouse space
• 243 Warehouse space (IT side only)
• 197 Third Floor open office space.
• Drayson Center Gymnasium
• Centennial Complex Atrium/Lobby-Corridor areas

CDC - Guidance Risk Assessment - HCP

Clinical and clinical support employees:

• ​See Return to work workflows and employee exposure algorithms above.

University Employee and LLU Student Guidelines

University Employee Screening Strategy: 

1. Each employee should self-monitor for symptoms and not report to work if ill.
2. Each employee should answer questions on the designated app and show the “clearance” screen as they change settings throughout the day.  Employees should request to view the screen of other employees/LLU students in their work/learning space to ensure the questions have been completed and clearance indicated on the app.  Examples might include: at the beginning of a class, when reporting to a shared workspace at the beginning of the day, when entering the cafeteria or library, when entering a laboratory or clinical skills area, etc. 
   
3. If temperature is elevated or symptoms present, the employee/LLU student should go home.  If symptoms or fever develop during the work day, the employee/LLU student should go home immediately.

University Student  Screening Strategy:

1. Each LLU student should self-monitor for symptoms and not report to campus/work if ill.
2. If temperature is elevated or symptoms present, the employee/LLU student should go home.  If symptoms or fever develop during the work day, the employee/LLU student should go home immediately.

Covid-19 Exposures in University Setting 

Must meet definition of close contact

Loma Linda’s COVID-19 exposure definition has been updated.  The definition of close contact (in the context of exposure) is as follows:

In indoor spaces of 400,000 or fewer cubic feet per floor (such clinic waiting rooms, etc.), close contact is defined as sharing the same indoor airspace  for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period with a COVID-19 positive case.

In large indoor spaces greater than 400,000 cubic feet per floor (such as open-floor-plan offices, warehouses), close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of the infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.”

The employee was present during an aerosol-generating/high hazard procedure for a COVID-19 positive case and

A) was not wearing a powered air purifying respirator (PAPR); or

B) did not use a hood or other ventilated enclosure on the patient that effectively contained the patient’s aerosols while the employee was wearing a respirator other than a PAPR, regardless of the length of time.

The following are sites on campus that are greater than 400,000 cubic feet:

• 125 Warehouse space
• 195 Warehouse space
• 243 Warehouse space (IT side only)
• 197 Third Floor open office space.
• Drayson Center Gymnasium
• Centennial Complex Atrium/Lobby-Corridor areas

University faculty/employees who have had an exposure (individuals who are vaccinated are not subject to quarantine after exposure):
Typical academic activities such as didactics, laboratory experiences, administrative duties, etc, are not essential work.   
Employees must quarantine if they are exposed. 

1. All those who can work off-site should do so if permitted by their employer. If work off-site is not possible, the employee may need to utilize leave. (University supervisors who have a business need for essential critical infrastructure employees to work onsite should contact Employee Health (COVID19_Employee_Health@LLU.edu) for approval and advising on appropriate steps.)
2. Guidance for quarantine:
   1. Stay at home
   2. Check temperature twice daily and watch for symptoms of COVID-19
   3. If possible, stay away from people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19.

FAQ