Health care workers exposed to someone positive for the novel coronavirus “more than likely should be tested,” whether symptomatic or not, said state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli during Gov. Phil Murphy’s COVID-19 update Saturday.
The statement contradicts a decision by Inspira Health, which upset some of the employees in its Vineland hospital, not to test or quarantine workers who came in close contact with a nurse anesthetist who tested positive for the virus March 15 but is without symptoms.
“We cannot have a group of health care workers scared to come to work,” Persichilli said.
On Friday, a spokesperson said Inspira decided to allow the workers to return to work without testing or quarantine, on the basis of information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the NJDOH.
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The spokesperson said the workers must have their temperature taken each morning and must stop working immediately if they have symptoms, and then a test would be offered.
“We follow the guidelines set by the CDC and the NJDOH,” said Inspira spokesperson Molly Tritt when asked if Inspira would reconsider its policy in light of Persichilli’s comments.
The nurse anesthetist was one of two Inspira workers who tested positive. The other was a radiation oncologist who is hospitalized with symptoms, and Tritt said Saturday that close coworkers of the symptomatic patient are in quarantine and have been offered testing.
Both positive workers had recently returned from a European vacation, according to three coworkers who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak on the matter.
Persichili cautioned that testing only provides an answer for one point in time.
“Any one of us could test negative one day and five days later test positive,” she said.
The two Inspira employees were treated in Gloucester County.
According to the state, as of Sunday afternoon one person in Cumberland County has tested positive for COVID-19, a Vineland resident.
