The high efficacy of the vaccines also means that many of us will soon be called upon to shut our laptops, stow our ring lights, and head back to the office. Whether you’re eagerly anticipating reunions with favorite coworkers or worried that cubicle life post-COVID-19 may not be entirely safe, it makes sense to arm yourself with knowledge so you can stay healthy, and protect your colleagues, too. RELATED: Coronavirus Alert: The Latest News, Data, and Expert Insight on the COVID-19 Pandemic The prospect of going back to an office can be very daunting, and understandably so, says Marissa Baker, PhD, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the University of Washington School of Public Health in Seattle. “Workers’ lives have fundamentally changed since the pandemic; many people have new routines, and now they have to consider different issues, such as childcare options and the safest way to commute,” she says. Employers need to ease people back into office life gradually and provide a lot of support. “The idea that you’ve been working from home — possibly for the last 15 months or more — and then you just start at the office on Monday as if everything is going to be the same, while also following all these new protocols, is unrealistic,” Dr. Baker says. They key to making things less stressful: Be respectful and considerate of others, keeping in mind that we’ve all been through our own kind of trauma and have different ongoing concerns. “Some people have young children who aren’t vaccinated or family members who are immune-compromised,” says Brandon Guthrie, PhD, assistant professor of global health and epidemiology at the University of Washington in Seattle. “They may be very concerned about bringing the virus home to their household.” In this case, respectful and considerate means getting fully vaccinated before you return to the office: It’s by far the most effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. “Vaccinated people are much less likely to become infected, and if they do become infected, they are less likely to become symptomatic,” says Guthrie. He adds that even if a vaccinated person develops symptomatic COVID-19 — what’s known as a breakthrough infection — they tend to have a lower viral load, meaning they are less likely to transmit the virus to others. According to a May 27 update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “a growing body of evidence indicates that people fully vaccinated with an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) are less likely to have asymptomatic infection or to transmit SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) to others.” Studies are underway to learn more about the benefits of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine. RELATED: Vaccinated Against COVID-19 but Still Anxious? You’re Not Alone

Your Employer Can Require You to Be Vaccinated

Your place of employment may well require you to be immunized against COVID-19. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released a statement May 28 asserting that federal laws don’t prevent an employer from requiring all employees physically entering the workplace to be vaccinated. However, policies must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other workplace laws, according to the EEOC. There are two types of COVID-19 vaccine exceptions, according to the CDC:

Medical exemptions, for people who may be at risk for an adverse reaction to the vaccine because of an allergy or medical conditionReligious exemptions, for people who don’t want to get the vaccine because of a religious belief

Some states are considering legislation to prevent employers from mandating vaccines, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy. Although some employers — such as hospitals, nursing homes, and universities — require workers to be vaccinated, many companies are relying on educating their employees about the health advantages of getting immunized, as well as providing incentives such as bonuses, gift cards, or extra paid time off.

Common Questions About Best Safety Protocols

Even with both shots in your arm, you need to take certain precautions and may still have concerns about best practices. Here, some common questions and answers about office life now and in the months to come: Q: I’m vaccinated. Do I need to stay home if I feel sick? A: If you’re under the weather, stay home and let yourself recover. In many workplaces there is a phenomenon known as “presenteeism,” which is when people go in to the office when they’re sick instead of staying at home recovering, says Baker. “This has been a problem in workplaces even pre-COVID-19,” she says. “If you have people showing up to work with sniffles, coughs, or worse, or if you’re on a Zoom call and the person is like, ‘I don’t feel great, but I’m here,’ that to me signals to me that you have a problem in your workplace and the expectations around work,” she says. Changing the culture of 24/7 work means making it acceptable for people to take time off to rest when they’re not feeling well. “Keeping people home when they are feeling ill will decrease the spread of disease in the workplace — not just COVID-19 but colds and influenza, too,” Baker emphasizes. If someone comes in who is sniffling or hacking? The CDC suggests that people with COVID-19 symptoms be immediately separated from everyone else (coworkers and customers or clients) and sent home. Q: What happens to me if a coworker tests positive for COVID-19? A: That depends on your vaccination status. If a colleague tests positive for COVID-19, your employer should close off the area where the sick person was working for several hours, then clean and disinfect it, according to the CDC. Air circulation in the area should be increased by opening windows, using fans, or turning up the air conditioner settings. You’ll need to follow your local health department policies on who should be quarantined and who should be tested if they have potential exposure to COVID-19, says Guthrie. “The current CDC guidance is that people who are vaccinated and come into contact with somebody with COVID-19 don’t need to be tested or quarantine unless they show symptoms,” he adds. If you’re not vaccinated, you need to stay home and practice social distancing for 14 days if you suspect you have had a significant exposure. (Exposure is defined as being indoors within about six feet of a person with COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes of more, according to the CDC.) Whether or not they’re vaccinated, potentially exposed employees who have symptoms of COVID-19 should self-isolate and follow CDC recommended steps for people who are sick. Q: Should I wear a mask or socially distance at work? A: That depends on your vaccination status as well as your office policy. “Some workplaces are saying everyone has to wear a mask at all times regardless of vaccination status, and some are saying that if you are unvaccinated you need to wear a mask but fully vaccinated people don’t need to,” says Baker. Adds Guthrie, “In settings where everyone isn’t able or willing to be vaccinated, a lot of the things we’ve been doing need to be the cornerstone to keep people safe” — wearing a face covering and staying at least six feet away from others. If your building isn’t well ventilated you may want to increase that distance, states the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). RELATED: Your COVID-19 Summer Safety Guide Q: Do plastic barriers between desks help reduce the spread of COVID-19? A: Not necessarily. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, primarily spreads through the air. One way to visualize this is to think about exhaling cigarette smoke, says Baker. “If you think about somebody smoking behind a plexiglass barrier, the smoke that they generate from their lungs is going to get around the barrier, under the barrier, and over the barrier, and the same goes for viral spread,” she explains. The bottom line: Though plexiglass barriers may provide protection from someone directly sneezing or coughing on you, “They provide very little, if any, protection from airborne particles unless the glass completely covers the opening, as in a ticket booth,” says Baker. Q: Should my employer take measures to improve air quality in the building? A: It does make sense to improve ventilation and air filtration. Though increasing ventilation can be a part of reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission, on its own it doesn’t ensure protection, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Every ventilation system is different across office buildings, but certain parameters should be optimized to make each one the best it can be:

Increase airflow as much as possible. “That might mean opening the damper more — the valve that regulates the flow of air in air-handling equipment,” suggests Baker. If you have a window air conditioner that has an outdoor air intake or vent, operate it with the vent open, states the agency.Keep windows open.Upgrade to an HVAC filter that can trap very small particles to improve air quality.

For small offices, a portable HEPA air filtration unit might be helpful. “These units can help clean the air right in their proximity and increase overall air exchange in that space,” says Baker. “That could be useful in a small space, especially one where you have different people coming and going.” Not all air filters are created equal. Beware of air filtration units that claim to use UV light technology, according to Baker. “UV can be valuable for sanitizing solid surfaces where you can have a longer contact time, but for cleaning air it doesn’t really add anything,” she says. RELATED: To Reduce COVID-19 Risk, Open a Window Q: Is it necessary to do extra sanitizing around the office? A: Normal cleaning protocols are likely enough. According to the CDC, COVID-19 is not commonly transmitted through surfaces. In light of that, the cleaning procedures that were already in place before the pandemic are probably sufficient to prevent any transmission that could theoretically occur, says Baker. “You don’t even need to worry about things like ‘someone touched a doorknob and I touched the doorknob after them’ when it comes to COVID-19 — you’re not going to be able to share enough virus that way to pass the disease,” says Baker. “Increasing how often you wash your hands is going to be more effective than cleaning every surface,” Baker adds. Q: Is it safe to drink from the communal coffee pot in the break room? A: The pot isn’t the risky part but the social element could be dicey. “The risk of COVID-19 transmission in this scenario wouldn’t be from multiple people touching and pouring from the pot,” says Baker. She explains that the risk for anyone who isn’t vaccinated or who is extra-vulnerable to infection comes from lingering maskless in close proximity to other people who are also maskless. Q: Should I avoid the elevator if I can? A: That’s not necessary. Taking the stairs is a good way to add a little physical activity to your day, says Baker, but in terms of COVID-19 safety, elevators are nothing to fear. ”We’re usually not in there very long, though it’s prudent to limit the number of occupants and extend any workplace rules around mask-wearing to the elevator,” Baker says. Q: Could I be at risk for Legionnaires’ disease? A: Possibly. If a building hasn’t been used at all for quite a while, Legionella bacteria could be a concern, says Baker. Legionella isn’t common, but can cause a serious type of lung infection called Legionnaires’ disease, caused by inhaling infected particles from large or complex water systems contaminated by the bacteria. Used for cooling, these water systems are found in large office buildings, according to the CDC. “A big workplace that has truly been shut down might need to be inspected for water bacteria issues, or mold,” Baker says. RELATED: Legionnaires’ Disease Risk Grows as Coronavirus Lockdowns Lift Q: What other strategies could reduce transmission? A: There are plenty of creative ways to reduce the risk of passing on the virus. Baker suggests the following:

Stagger work schedules. Having some employees work remotely on some days could be beneficial.Move desks further apart. This will make social distancing easier.Utilize video conferencing. Even if everyone is at the office, it can be a safer option than everyone gathering in a room for a meeting.Vary break and lunch times. This can prevent a rush of people going into the kitchen at the same time.Meet outside if possible. “We know that the risk of transmission is so much lower outdoors than indoors,” says Baker. Plus, if the weather is nice, who wouldn’t rather work beneath a tree than in a conference room?