Emails show HR office at Danville’s Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute expressed concerns over guidance that asymptomatic employees keep…

However, it wasn't until Aug. 17 when Crews updated the policy for workers who test positive for the disease but are asymptomatic.

"Staff who test positive for COVID-19 should not report to work," she wrote Aug. 17. "Instead, you should seek medical attention and isolate from others."

This change of policy came three days after the Register & Bee reported on her original email and noted that it contradicted CDC guidelines.

Of the change, state department of behavioral health spokeswoman Lauren Cunningham said via email Thursday: "SVMHI leadership became aware that they had shared incorrect guidance with staff when it was brought to their attention by colleagues, and later by [department] staff, and worked to correct that in a timely fashion. We take the health and safety of both staff and clients at our facilities very seriously, and will continue to work with SVMHI to make sure that all future communications are clear and consistent with CDC, VDH, DBHDS COVID-19 guidelines."

Crews, in the Aug. 17 email about the policy change, wrote that no confirmed positive cases reported to work at SVMHI.

"All confirmed positive COVID-19 positive staff have not reported to work and are following [Virginia Department of Health] and PCP guidance," she wrote.

Cunningham on Thursday confirmed the statement, noting that no staff members with positive results have been permitted to work during the course of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

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Emails show HR office at Danville's Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute expressed concerns over guidance that asymptomatic employees keep...