Some health-care workers with COVID-19 now allowed back to work

Eastern Health now says it's allowing some health-care workers to come to work while they are infected with COVID-19

The policy, introduced on April 21, allows people to come to work before their isolation period is over, in "extenuating circumstances."

The new policy says it can only happen when there are no other options available to maintain care and the job can't be done virtually. The worker can no longer have a fever, and symptoms must be improving.

Anyone coming to work during their isolation period will also have to wear personal protective equipment.

A statement from the health authority says this new policy follows provincial guidelines.

The health-care system has struggled with a shortage of workers, including nurses, made worse by COVID-19 infections, which at its peak, took more than 1,000 health-care workers out because of illness and isolation.

Hospitalizations continue to drop

Newfoundland and Labrador reported two more deaths due to COVID-19 on Friday, raising the province's total since the beginning of the pandemic to 164.

One of the deaths was in the Eastern Health region, and the other was in Western Health. Both people were 80 years old or older.

According to provincial health data,16 people are in hospital, down one since the last update, on Wednesday. Four people are in critical care, down onesince Wednesday.

The province also reported 228 new COVID-19 cases since Wednesday:126 on Thursday and 102 on Friday.

Those numbers don't accurately represent the true spread of COVID-19, however, since the Department of Health is restricting the use of testing and is no longerreleasing the data forthe number of people getting tested.

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador