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City Employee COVID-19

City Employee COVID-19

General Information
General Guidance
At Home Tests
Online Form Submission
Health Alert

General Information

This webpage contains information for City of Winona employees regarding COVID-19. Employees will be responsible to contact their supervisor or department head and HR regarding a positive COVID test result.

The City does not require employees to use any specific type of test (over the counter or PCR lab test). Any cost associated with testing will be incurred by the employee.

General Guidance

General Guidance

The City will follow Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) guidance for COVID-19. The guidance applies if you test positive, have been exposed and have symptoms, or have been exposed and have no symptoms.

Contact your supervisor or department head to discuss your specific situation. Your supervisor or department head will consider staffing levels of the department, and/or general nature of your work duties.

This guidance is based on MDH recommendations.

If you test positive for COVID-19 (MDH Guidance)

Notify your supervisor.
Notify HR
Do not report to work.
Stay home for 5 days after test date.
Use personal paid leave or work remotely if able with approval from the department head.
You may return to work on day 6 if you are fever free for 24 hours prior to returning to work and any other symptoms ( i.e. cough, congestion, runny nose, or energy level) are getting better.
A mask must be worn at all times* for days 6 through 10. If you do not want to wear a mask, you may choose to stay home and use personal paid leave.

If you are sick with COVID-19 symptoms (MDH Guidance)

Stay home if you do not feel well and take a test.
If test is negative, you may return to work.
Strongly recommended that you wear a mask when in the presence of others and especially in an enclosed work space (i.e. office, conference room, vehicle, etc.).
Strongly recommended that you continue to test every 24 to 48 hours if symptoms persist or become worse.
If test is positive, see above.

If you were exposed to someone with COVID-19 and you have no symptoms (MDH Guidance)

You may continue to work.
It is recommend that you wear a mask when in the presence of others and especially in an enclosed work space (i.e. office, conference room, vehicle, etc.).
It is recommended that you take a test on day 6 post exposure. Test sooner if symptoms develop.

Exposed is:

Experienced a known close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 for 15 cumulative minutes or more in the previous 24-hour period from last contact.

Close Contact is:

In an enclosed room with or without the door open regardless of distance; or
Within six feet of another person outside; or
In a vehicle; and
Unmasked, improperly wearing a mask, or not wearing a proper mask.

At All Times:

If an employee returns to work on day six following a COVID positive test, the employee must wear a mask at all times, no exceptions, while working through day 10. This includes:

Working in an office alone.
Being in a vehicle alone. Vehicle must also be sanitized at the end of the shift.
No lunch breaks or eating with other employees.

An alternative to this strict masking guidance is to continue remote work or use personal paid leave through day 10.

Counting Days:

Days are counted from date of of test. Test date is day 0, next day is day 1. I.e. test taken on Saturday means day 5 is Thursday.

At Home Tests

At Home Rapid Antigen COVID-19 Tests

Are not the same as a lab PCR test
Can be taken anywhere
Give results within 15 minutes
Work whether or not you have COVID-⁠19 symptoms
Work whether or not you are up to date on your COVID-⁠19 vaccines
Are also referred to as self-tests or over-the-counter (OTC) tests

Order FREE test kits

Through COVID.gov. Ordering through this program will be suspended on Friday, September 2, 2022 because Congress hasn’t provided additional funding to replenish the nations stockpile of tests.
Minnesota Covid-19 Response for Minnesota residents.
WI Department of Health Services for Wisconsin residents.

Obtaining at-home test kits from pharmacy using personal insurance

To receive a test kit at no cost, go to a store with a pharmacy and bring the test kit to the pharmacy counter (not the front register). Show your personal medical insurance ID card for the pharmacy to process the payment. Beginning Saturday, January 15, 2022 and continuing through the end of the COVID-19 federal public health emergency, personal medical insurance will cover the cost of up to eight (8) at-home rapid COVID-19 tests without a prescription or clinical assessment every 30 calendar days.

When to use an at-home test

City HR will accept at-home tests to confirm virus status. However, at-home tests can result in a false negative result. Employees should use an at-home test when symptoms are present and/or 5 days after a close contact with a COVID positive person. Administering an at-home test too soon can result in inaccurate results because the virus is not prevalent enough at that time.

If an employee has symptoms, has had a known close contact in the last 2-3 days, and the at-home test provides a negative test result, the employee may take a second at home test 5 days after close contact, or take a confirmatory PCR lab test which is more sensitive in the early stage of COVID. PCR lab tests will be processed through individual insurance and any out of pocket cost associated with taking the test will be incurred by the employee.

Learn more about at-home tests at CDC Self-Testing.

Online Form Submission

If you need to send documentation to HR, use this form to submit your documents securely.

Click the link below to enter the secure submission website
Online Form Submission
Enter required fields then click “Continue”
Drag your file into the box or browse to where you stored the form on your device.
Click “Upload”
DONE!
You will receive a confirmation email.

Health Alert

HEALTH ALERT

Employees should contact their supervisor or department head and HR to to report a positive test result.