Response Plan for Positive Covid-19 Test in an Active Attender

 

  1. Communication to Congregation 

A person who tests positive for Covid-19 should contact the pastor or church secretary as soon as possible after testing positive, reporting the most recent worship service and other meetings attended and identifying persons with whom he or she may have been in close contact for an extended period of time.

  1. Notification of the Congregation of a Positive Case

A general notification will go out to the congregation and/or particular group concerning gatherings in which the one testing positive had most recently attended, while keeping the identity of the person confidential.  Personal contacts will be made by the pastor to any regular church attender identified by the infected person as one with whom he or she had any extended contact during church gatherings or outside of church.

  1. Precautionary Action to be Taken

In-person gatherings will be suspended for 12 days from the most recent date on which the infected person was in attendance. Current research has shown that approximately 98% of those infected will show symptoms within 12 days.  https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-long-does-it-take-for-covid-19-symptoms-to-appear

The person who tested positive is recommended to use the CDC current guidance of returning using “a symptom-based strategy.”

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/disposition-in-home-patients.html

Persons with COVID-19 who have symptoms and were directed to care for themselves at home may discontinue isolation under the following conditions:

  • At least 10 days have passed since symptom onset and
  • At least 24 hours have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and 
  • Other symptoms have improved.