During the Coronavirus Task Force Briefing Wednesday evening, Robert R. Redfield, M.D., director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, announced new guidance for essential health care workers and critical infrastructure workers, such as law enforcement and food and transportation workers, to return to work after being exposed to a confirmed or suspected case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The goal of these new guidelines is to ensure continuity of essential operations, according to the CDC.

Essential workers may return to work if they are asymptomatic and take the following precautions:

• take their temperature before work
• wear a face mask at all times
• practice social distancing in the workplace as duties permit
• leave work if they become sick
• do not share objects that will touch their face
• do not congregate in break rooms or other general areas

Workplaces on their end should:

• take employees' temperatures and assess their symptoms before they start work
• increase air exchange in the building
• increase frequency of cleaning commonly touched surfaces
• test the use of face masks

Read the full guidance.