Coronavirus Information and FAQs

Click here for information about the Office of the Attending Physician's testing program for SARS CoV2 coronavirus detection.

Click here for the most recent issued guidance for House offices.

2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Information about the coronavirus is changing rapidly. For the most up to date and authoritative information about the coronavirus, symptoms, prevention and treatment, and the CDC's response, please refer to the CDC website. The Committee on House Administration (CHA) recommends that Members and their staff monitor the official social media platforms of your state and local government and health officials for the most current information specific to your districts.

For additional information of particular interest to the House community, please visit the website of the Office of the Attending Physician. In particular, CHA encourages Members and staff to watch the videos recorded by the Attending Physician, Dr. Brian P. Monahan, which answer frequently asked questions and address practical prevention techniques. Those videos are available below and on OAP's website.

Resources:

Prevention

The Office of Attending Physician (OAP) in concert with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services, and state and local health departments continues to aggressively monitor and engage the current COVID-19 coronavirus threat. While general recommendations and updates may be found at the OAP website via Senate, House, Architect of the Capitol and Capitol Police intranet sites, the following mitigation actions are prudent to reinforce at this time. These suggestions reflect best judgement of an evolving circumstance that may require revision as more experience with the SARS-CoV-2 infection is gained.

Pandemic Social Distancing and Daily Health Screening Implementation Guidelines for Congressional Offices and Work Centers

Below is an abbreviated version. Full guidelines are available with the link provided.

General changes

The guideline document preserves the requirement for mask wear and social distance separations for individuals who are not fully vaccinated, or vaccine indeterminate.

The guideline document reflects that fully vaccinated individuals may discontinue mask wear and 6-foot social distance separations in most situations consistent with the CDC revision regarding fully vaccinated individuals of May 13, 2021.

The guideline document preserves the requirement for mask wear and social distance separations for individuals who are not fully vaccinated, or vaccine indeterminate.

The version 6 document revises the current requirement for mask wear in the Hall of the House and Committee Meetings in response to considerable rate of vaccination participation and diminishing daily evidence of disease transmission in our community. The present mask requirement and other guidelines have been modified to reflect discretionary mask wear among vaccinated individuals and required mask wear by non-fully-vaccinated individuals.

A summary of Federal and Local State of Emergency Coronavirus Declarations has been added.

Current coronavirus transmission rates in the local region and nationally have been updated in the introductory paragraphs.

Changes in nomenclature and significance discussion of coronavirus viral variants designations has been updated.

Specifically enumerated paragraphs:

Paragraph 1: reference updated EEOC information on employer's option to require vaccination.

Paragraph 3.2: Changes to face covering requirements in US House of Representatives spaces and in the Hall of the House and Committee Meetings based upon continuous reduction of coronavirus community spread. Emphasis is placed upon the non-fully-vaccinated individual to wear a mask when required. Fully vaccinated individuals no longer have an interior space mask wear requirement.

Paragraph 3.3: Removal of references to face Shield wear.

Paragraph 4: Scheduled official visitors who are not fully vaccinated are required to wear masks, fully vaccinated scheduled official visitors are not required to wear a mask in interior spaces

Paragraph 5.1: References to maximum occupancy calculations for spaces are de-emphasized while offices should maintain the capacity to host non-fully-vaccinated individuals with required social distancing separations and promotion of mask wear. Signage requirements for elevators, and floor markings for 6 foot separation reminders are rescinded

Paragraph 5.1.2: Interior space gatherings of a social nature may now be resumed while allowing for accommodations of the non-fully-vaccinated to participate with required mask wear and social distance separations.

Paragraph 5.2: Clarification of statements with regard to dining facilities to more fully resume pre-pandemic operational posture while allowing for a seating area for non-fully-vaccinated individuals that maintain social distance 6 foot separations.

Paragraph 5.3.3: Simplification of suggestions relevant to plastic face shield use.

Paragraph 6: Importantly, there are no changes to the requirement for daily self-monitoring of health inventory symptoms and reporting to workplace coordinator responses to the summary yes/no questions