The CDC has added six new symptoms to its list of those conditions associated with COVID-19:

• chills
• repeated shaking with chills
• muscle pain
• headache
• sore throat
• new loss of taste or smell

Previously the list included only fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

A reminder that employers can (and probably should) continue to screen employees entering the workplace for any symptoms identified by public health authorities as associated with COVID-19. This means that, in addition to other precautions, employers should now expand the list of questions they are asking to include the six additional symptoms listed by the CDC (as well as the original conditions).

The CDC has also expanded the list of people it believes may be at a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. This list includes the following:

• People 65 years and older
• People who live in a nursing home or long-term care facility
• People of all ages with underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled, including:
  • People with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma
  • People who have serious heart conditions
  • People who are immunocompromised (Note: Many conditions can cause a person to be immunocompromised, including cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening medications
  • People with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 40 or higher)
  • People with diabetes
  • People with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis
  • People with liver disease

As employers are working to keep their workforces safe and are obligated to consider accommodation requests, it is important to keep up with the latest information.

By Rebecca D. Bullard, rbullard@dsda.com