Covid close contact rules have been relaxed for healthcare staff allowing them to continue working even if someone at home gets a positive test.
The news guidance issued on Tuesday has done away with the rigid requirement that health workers must isolate for 10 days if someone in their household had a positive test.
The move comes amid ongoing concerns over staffing pressures across the health and social care sector as workers either become sick or have to isolate due to someone at home testing positive.
The Department of Health told Belfast Live: “Health and social care workers identified as close contacts of confirmed cases, including household and non-household contacts, will be permitted to attend work, provided new requirements are met.
“The staff member has had two doses of an approved vaccine, and has received a booster dose at least 14 days prior to the date of their exposure to the confirmed case.
"Staff who are not yet eligible for the booster because it is less than three months since their second dose can also return under this policy provided their second dose was more than 14 days prior to the date of exposure.
“The staff member should have a PCR test as soon as possible after their exposure and this PCR should return a negative result. Staff should not attend work while awaiting the PCR test result
“If the PCR test is negative, the staff member can return to work but should take a daily lateral flow test following receipt of the negative PCR result (including on the same day they receive that result) until the 10th day after the last date of contact with the positive case. The lateral flow should be taken before leaving for work each day.”
The Department says there are “sufficient LFDs to implement this policy”.
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