Coronavirus
Information for SCFC employees
***Please note that this is a continually evolving situation, and guidance is likely to continue changing as a result. For more comprehensive, general information about COVID-19 response at the state government level, please visit the SC Department of Health & Environmental Control’s COVID-19 web portal.
Agency status
Face coverings are currently not required by the agency in our buildings. We recognize that all staff may not feel comfortable removing their masks at this time, and we respect the decision of any person who decides to continue to use their face coverings.
In light of the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC’s) most recent guidance, which no longer recommends staying at least 6 feet away from other people to reduce the risk of exposure, the Forestry Commission is eliminating restrictions on the capacity of our meeting rooms. Facility managers and staff hosting and attending meetings should still know the COVID-19 community level in the county where they are working or where they may be traveling for meetings. Travel restrictions for attending meetings out-of-state was lifted previously. Conference attendance is approved at the supervisory level using the out-of-state travel form, per our agency’s normal process.
Updated CDC guidance
The Centers for Disease Control has updated its guidance on a range of COVID-19-related precautions, including recommendations for those exposed to someone else who has tested positive for the virus. While continuing to encourage everyone to get vaccinated, then boosted, the CDC now recommends that:
- If you test positive for COVID-19, or if you feel sick, but are awaiting test results, you should stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home, wearing a high-quality mask for 10 full days after you tested positive.
- If after 5 days you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication, and your symptoms are improving, or you never had symptoms, you may end isolation after day 5.
- Regardless of when you end isolation, avoid being around people who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 until at least day 11.
- You should wear a high-quality mask through day 10.
- If you have been exposed to COVID-19, meaning that you have had close contact with someone who has tested positive, you should wear a high-quality mask for 10 days and get tested on day 5.
While the precautions above are the two main highlights of the latest CDC guidance, we encourage you to read more about all of the recommendations in this latest update, which contains additional advice about the efficacy of the various vaccines and advice for people who are immunocompromised. A summary of the new recommendations can be found at this link on the CDC’s website: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p0811-covid-guidance.html
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p0811-covid-guidance.html
Coronavirus-related news and updates
Follow the latest, official news and updates about coronavirus-related procedures for the administration of state government and about coronavirus in South Carolina, the United States and abroad at these websites:
- South Carolina Department of Administration
https://www.admin.sc.gov/COVID19 - South Carolina updates and information: SC Department of Health & Environmental Control
https://www.scdhec.gov/infectious-diseases/viruses/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19 - United States updates and information: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html - Global updates and information: World Health Organization
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
–updated Wednesday, March 16, 2022