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Avera and Sanford Discourage Employee Travel as Coronavirus Precaution

Two of the state’s largest health care systems, Avera and Sanford, are asking employees not to travel as a precaution against spreading the coronavirus. However, their policies differ on personal travel decisions.

Avera Health is discouraging all employees from any kind of travel. In a statement, employees must tell their supervisors if they plan travel outside the Avera footprint. Before returning to work, they must contact employee health services regardless of symptoms or possible exposure.

Any Avera employees who travel by air must contact employee health services…complete 14 days of isolation…and be symptom free before coming back to work.

Sanford Health has stopped all non-essential work-related travel. A statement says a 14-day isolation period is required only if an employee has gone on a cruise or visited a level-3 travel notice country. That CDC designation includes almost 30 European countries with widespread COVID-19 cases.

For domestic travel, the Sanford statement says, “Employees weigh their risks and options and follow all CDC guidelines.”

Neither Sanford nor Avera mentioned how any necessary self-isolation would reflect on paid time off policies.

Earlier this week, a Monument Health employee who recently traveled out of state tested positive for COVID-19. More than 100 people are now being monitored after potential contact with that employee in the system’s Rapid City care unit.

Monument Health President and CEO Paulette Davidson said the health system had protocols for international travel, but not domestic.

Jackie is based out of SDPB's Sioux Falls Studio.