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The New York State Department of Health (DOH) has updated its regulations for annual assessments of health care personnel. Effective December 16, 2020, health care personnel in certain facilities will no longer be required to have an annual tuberculosis (TB) test. Instead, such personnel must be assessed annually for TB risk and symptom evaluation. A TB test will only be required if there are any symptoms suggestive of TB disease, or if there is a new risk for infection. (See DOH’s comments in Dec. 19, 2020 Register, available here.)
The Dear Administrator Letter (DAL) issued by DOH on December 16, 2020 explains that these changes are based on other national guidance, and in light of the fact that “an individual risk assessment is the primary screening tool, with repeat testing . . . only when indicated.”