Below is a summary of a health advisory from the Pennsylvania Department of Health issued on 1/25/22:
Due to concerns about increased transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, this guidance is being updated to enhance protection for healthcare personnel (HCP), patients, and visitors, and to address concerns about potential impacts on the healthcare system given a surge of SARS-CoV-2 infections. These updates will be refined as additional information becomes available to inform recommended actions. Updates include:
- Antigen testing is preferred if testing symptomatic HCP who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection in the prior 90 days. If tests are in short supply, they should be prioritized to diagnose infection.
- Added additional information to strategies to mitigate healthcare personnel staffing shortages.
If you have additional questions about this guidance or would benefit from discussion to support infection prevention and control decisions in your facility, please contact DOH at 1-877-PA- HEALTH (1-877-724- 3258) or your local health department.
