Though no employee has tested positive for coronavirus, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has informed its employees that several employees have been advised by doctors of a presumptive COVID-19 diagnosis based on their symptoms, including an employee who was assigned to the Santa Clarita Courthouse.
Those employees were directed by their physicians to self-isolate for seven days or 72 hours of being symptom-free without medication, whichever is longer — the same self-isolation guidelines given by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to those who test positive, according to DA officials.
“In every instance of a presumptive diagnosis for an employee by a doctor, we are consulting the DPH’s guidelines and following the guidance as to how to respond,” a statement sent to employees read.
In doing so, a notice is expected to be sent to all employees assigned to the same work location as the employee with the presumptive diagnosis and any other employee who may have visited that location during the relevant time period, as well as anyone, including justice partners, identified as having close contact, meaning within 6 feet for at least 10 minutes, with said employee. Those work locations are also expected to be properly cleaned according to guidelines.
The Santa Clarita Courthouse, which is set to close Wednesday, was already expected to transfer all cases from Santa Clarita to be heard in San Fernando as part of the court’s overall plan to temporarily scale down operation.
“The decision to transfer court matters to San Fernando from Santa Clarita was not caused by the report of our employee having been presumptively diagnosed with COVID-19 by a doctor,” the statement continued.
The D.A.’s Santa Clarita office, located in the Santa Clarita Courthouse, will also be closing, and prosecutors assigned to that office will now be working in San Fernando, according to Greg Risling, a public information officer at the D.A.’s office.
If employees who are self-isolating feel well enough to telework, they will do so until guidelines indicate it is safe for them to return to work.
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