7.30.21 – COVID-19 and the Delta Variant

Friday, July 30, 2021

COVID-19 and the Delta Variant

As positive COVID cases are on the rise across the globe, it is imperative to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), social distancing, testing, and vaccinations (if you choose and are able) to help stop the spread of the virus. The Pandemic policy provides for up to two weeks paid leave for a confirmed case of COVID-19, exposure to a confirmed case, and awaiting test results. Pandemic Leave Form

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, you must notify Team Member Services at 800-447-2000 so that your fellow crew members can be notified and quarantined if necessary. Seek medical treatment if necessary and file for Pandemic Leave. Extensions for Pandemic Leave are considered on a case-by-case basis, including a second positive Covid-19 test and/or hospitalization.

If you have been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19, testing is recommended for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals with COVID-19 symptoms. It is also recommended to consult with your physician if you have signs or concerns.

If you are quarantined mid-sequence, you can get a PCR test* on day five from the exposure and with a negative test result can/may return home on day eight.

* A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is performed to detect genetic material from a specific organism, such as a virus. The test detects the presence of a virus if you are infected at the time of the test. The test could also detect fragments of virus even after you are no longer infected.

The CDC added a recommendation for fully vaccinated people who have known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 to be tested 3-5 days after exposure and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result.

COVID-19 affects people in different ways. Infected people have had a wide range of symptoms reported – from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.

Health experts have stated that patients infected with the Delta variant of COVID-19 started to show new symptoms of the infection. Many patients did not even realize that they had been infected by the virus until these new symptoms intensified. Here are some of the symptoms of COVID-19 and the Delta variant:

• Fever or Chills
• Dry Cough
• Shortness of breathing or difficulty in breathing
• Extreme fatigue or tiredness
• Muscle or body aches
• Acute headache
• Loss of smell and taste
• Sore throat
• Congestion in the chest
• Runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting and
• Diarrhea

Look for emergency warning signs for COVID-19. If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone

Call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

In Solidarity,

Cathy Sharp
APFA National Health Chair

[email protected]