Last updated: 6/15/21

Mask policy at the Ragon

MGH have made COVID vaccination a condition of employment. All staff, apart from those with an authorized medical or religious exemption, as well as all vendors and visitors must have received a full course of COVID vaccines.

All Workforce Members: must continue to mask and social distance in all ARE common spaces: upon entering the building, in the building foyer, in the elevators, and in all stairwells. You also must continue to fill out your daily COVID-19 pass. 

All Visitors: must continue to wear a Ragon-provided mask except when eating or drinking and practice social distancing. 

Eating Spaces: The auditorium will continue to serve as socially distanced eating spaces, with social distancing mandates in place until further notice.

400TS lawn: Please remain masked when social distancing isn’t possible. Removing your mask is only permitted if 6 feet distance from others can be maintained. These regulations are set by ARE.

COVID Policy FAQ – here

Employee Testing Center still open

Free qPCR COVID-19 testing is now available at the MGH Employee Testing Center – appointments can be booked through COVID Pass

Who to Call for COVID-19 Questions at MGH

To assist staff in finding the correct resources for COVID-19 information, the MGH Division of Infectious Diseases and the MGH Infection Control Unit have updated the Who to Call for What directory. The list will help identify who to contact for various questions and scenarios related to COVID-19, such as COVID-19 Infection Control support, non-COVID-19 Infection Control support, clinical questions regarding resolution of CoV-Risk status (after using CORAL), Occupational Health and more.

View the PDF or click on the Who to Call for COVID-19 Questions tab on the Apollo Infection Control resource page for a complete list of who to call with your questions.

MGH COVID-19 TRAVEL ADVICE

Massachusetts Travel Order Goes into Effect August 1
On Saturday August 1, the Governor’s Executive Order goes into effect, which offers new guidance for those returning to Massachusetts from out-of-state travel. The new order, which was updated on 27 November will affect members of our workforce who travel to a State other than Hawaii. Despite an exemption for certain essential workers, the order states that “workers who travel to or from Massachusetts for personal or leisure reasons cannot rely on this exemption.” While travel outside of this region is strongly discouraged, all employees must consider the following guidelines:

Prior to travel (except for the State listed above)
Employees must attest to their travel in advance in this Travel Attestation.

Upon return from travel and before being able to return to work
Employees will need to do the following:
Complete the required Massachusetts Travel Form available here.

Demonstrate proof of a negative COVID-19 test by one of the options below:
Obtain testing before returning to Massachusetts as long as the test was obtained no more than 72 hours prior to arrival in Massachusetts. Results should be sent to Occupational Health at phsohscovid19@partners.org.

Call Occupational Health Central Services at 617-724-8100 either before travel or within 24 hours after travel to schedule a test at one of the Mass General Brigham testing sites.

Employees must use their own paid time off (PTO) while they wait for COVID-19 test results, if not obtained prior to returning. If the test is negative, the employee can return to work immediately. If the test is positive, the employee must stay home from work and follow the return to work protocol in our current Return to Work Criteria. If testing is not obtained, employees must quarantine for 14 days after returning from travel and may not work in any of our worksites during this time. Employees who have approved remote work arrangements may work remotely during the quarantine period.

We continue to strongly urge all employees not to travel to areas outside of those areas listed above and to comply with all aspects of the Governor’s order. As a health care organization, we all share the same belief that protecting our patients and one another by avoiding trips to potential hotspots is the top priority. Thank you for your commitment to do everything possible in order to maintain a safe environment for patients, visitors and staff. We will keep you posted as this executive order is updated.

MGH Childcare Info

All MGH childcare information and support here.

Stress and Anxiety Management

• EAP Tips on Managing the Fear of Coronavirus
• Create an emergency plan to prepare for the Coronavirus
• Talking with Children about the Coronavirus Pandemic: 7 Ways to Support Kids and Teens Through the Coronavirus Pandemic
• EAP availability and Mini-Sessions on Relaxation
• MGH Guide to COVID-19 Mental Health Resources
• McLean Hospital article on Caring for your Mental Health During COVID-19 and Five Ways to Reduce Anxiety During the COVID Outbreak

NIH Efforts on Flexibilities for Research Institute

An online recording of the March 16th the teleconference that Research!America hosted with Dr. Larry Tabak, Principal Deputy Director of the National Institutes of Health and Dr. Mike Lauer, NIH’s Deputy Director for Extramural Research is available.

Click here to access the recording of this call. 

Please note – You will have to register to gain access to the site.

COVID-19: what to do when

• If you are at work and begin to experience symptoms, please notify your manager and leave the building immediately. 
• Do not call or visit Occupational Health in person to report your symptoms.
• Check out the tip sheets from MGB which lists what you should do, depending on your symptoms and test results
  
  
  

COVID-19 Testing

Due to limited testing quantities, COVID-19 testing is advised when: 

At least one of the following is present, potentially attributable to a respiratory viral illness:

1. Fever
2. Sore Throat
3. Cough
4. Shortness of Breath
5. Muscle Aches

And at least one of the following (this is a prioritized list based on capacity):

1. Inpatients
2. Emergency department patient requiring admission or ED high risk* patients not requiring admission
3. Partners HealthCare worker who currently works at a clinical site and who worked while sick
4. Patient cared for by symptomatic Partners HealthCare worker with confirmed COVID-19

High Risk is defined:

1. Age ≥70
2. Severe chronic lung disease (e.g. asthma, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, COPD, etc.)
3. Severe heart disease
4. CD4 count <200
5. On immunocompromising medications (e.g. prednisone >20mg/d, chemotherapy, mycophenolate, cyclosporine, azathioprine, tacrolimus, TNF inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, etc.)

Critical PPE Supplies

The Infection Control practices on Apollo outlines the appropriate guidelines for the extended use/reuse of our N95 respirators, surgical and procedural masks, and eye protection supplies. Conservation remains key for these crucial supplies.

Social Media Policies

Pause before you post. Read the full Mass General Social Media and Online Communication Policy and review social media guidelines for employees.

Be clear that your posts reflect your personal opinion. You do not speak for the hospital where you work. 

Do not share institutional information with the public (e.g.: number of confirmed cases, patient tested, emergency plans). 

Talking about patients or patient care is not appropriate, even if you don’t use names or identifiers.

Remote Work/IS Resources

Due to high demand, Partners IS Help Desk is experiencing longer wait times for telephone assistance.

A remote toolkit with helpful materials, guides and contact lists is available.