WashU Med COVID-19 Update

Key announcements

WashU Med to ease masking requirements on Medical Campus

Due to sustained reduced incidence of COVID-19, influenza and respiratory viral illness, WashU Medicine and BJC HealthCare have decided to ease masking requirements on the Medical Campus, including clinical settings and common areas. Effective Wednesday, March 22, masking will be situational for employees and optional for patients and visitors/families.

Employees will still be required to wear a mask to comply with:

• Transmission-based precautions (i.e., isolation signs, isolation policy)
• Occupational Health COVID requirements (i.e., cleared to work but still symptomatic, on return to work after COVID infection, recent household contact with COVID infection)
• Stated request by patient of clinician/employee providing care

Masking and personal protective equipment (PPE) are still required for the care of patients who are positive or suspected positive for COVID-19.

To reduce transmission of infectious diseases in the workplace, masking will be strongly encouraged and recommended for employees, patients and visitors:

• Showing signs or symptoms of respiratory illness (e.g., fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat)
• With a recent known exposure to someone with a respiratory infection

All employees – whether vaccinated or vaccine-exempt – are still expected to self-assess for signs or symptoms of illness and to contact the Occupational Health Exposure/Illness Hotline at 314-362-5056 if symptoms are present for evaluation of respiratory illness before coming to work. Those with vaccine exemptions and no symptoms will still need to wear a mask throughout the workday or document self-assessment before coming to work each day. The assessment can be done using the WashU Med online screening tool.

WashU Med and BJC will continue to monitor respiratory virus activity and adapt strategies as needed.

Visit the Faculty Practice Plan website to learn more.

Symptomatic testing now available in Center for Advanced Medicine

Employees who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 can now receive testing in the WashU Med Occupational Health Services clinic in the Center for Advanced Medicine, Suite 5A, Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Tests must be ordered through the COVID Exposure/Illness Hotline at 314-362-5056 and walk-in testing is NOT available. If individuals arrive requesting a test, they will be instructed to call the hotline first. Occupational Health will determine if testing is warranted, and then order a test if criteria is met.

Please note that the testing clinic at 1234 Kingshighway Blvd. has been closed.

COVID-19 booster walk-in clinics available Fridays through May

In a continued effort to protect our community and the St. Louis region, Occupational Health Services will continue to host walk-in COVID-19 booster clinics for any WashU employee. The walk-in clinics will provide booster shots each Friday from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. throughout March, April and May at the Occupational Health Services clinic, located at the Center for Advanced Medicine (CAM), Suite 5A. There is no need to schedule an appointment for the walk-in clinics.

Visit the Occupational Health Services website for contact information or to find the latest on-campus COVID-19 vaccine information.

COVID-19 Update coming to an end

This is our last issue. WashU Med created the COVID-19 Update three years ago to provide our faculty, staff and trainees with important information as the pandemic took hold. We hope you found it to be a reliable source during uncertain times. Thank you for reading.