Government loosens rules for essential workers

Essential workers can return to work after COVID-19 exposure as long as they don’t have symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Wednesday. The new guidelines aim to get certain workers, like those in the healthcare and food supply industries, back on the job sooner after they have been within 6 feet of someone with the disease.

Won’t that spread the coronavirus? The CDC outlined extra precautions for those returning to work after exposure: They should take their temperature before their shifts, wear face masks, practice social distancing, avoid sharing headsets and other objects used near the face, and avoid crowded breakrooms. Employers should assess exposed workers’ symptoms, clean work surfaces, and increase airflow. Sick workers should stay at home.

Dig deeper: Read Daniel James Devine’s report about how the pandemic is affecting the supply chain in the United States and around the world.