FAA letter for having covid

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Kerry Emmert

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Got a letter from the FAA today after getting a 3rd class medical in October that I needed to provide more documentation about having Covid 19. It asks about hospital stay. I was never in the hospital.

Anyone else gotten a letter for having Covid?

Do you call the AOPA to get some advise or the FAA?
 
Respond to their letter with details of your covid case and tell them you were not hospitalized. Get a statement from the doctor who treated you as well.
 
Got a letter from the FAA today after getting a 3rd class medical in October that I needed to provide more documentation about having Covid 19. It asks about hospital stay. I was never in the hospital.

Anyone else gotten a letter for having Covid?

Do you call the AOPA to get some advise or the FAA?

What did they want? Hospital records?
 
It should say what they want in the letter. Give them that and nothing more.

what is the wording?
 
If you received nothing other than a positive covid test, just send them a letter indicating that you required no hospitalization, no additional treatment, and have no lingering effects.
 
You can be proactive and provide stuff like this at your exam to be sent in with your exam report. Provided you know they will want something that is.
 
Is the FAA really on a witch hunt for every pilot who has had Covid?!
No, but they want to be sure you don’t have long-term pulmonary issues from Covid, or one of the other less common long-term effects from the disease, generally associated with a severe case.
 
Is the FAA really on a witch hunt for every pilot who has had Covid?!

How else will they maintain a 6 month backlog for deferrals?

Give them only what they ask for. If they only ask for records of a hospital stay, and you didn't stay in a hospital, just respond that you recovered without a hospital visit.
 
More incentive to avoid tests? Seems like they are looking for things to do.
 
So possibly the AME didn't fill in the blocks the FAA wanted to see and now it's on you to provide the information.

We're guessing here...the OP hasn't filled in additional information.

I presume there's been no issues with ongoing symptoms. Go to Rushie's post. Find the one that describes you and take it your doctor. Ask them to write / write a letter for them using the verbiage in the FAA memo. Send it in. The bureaucrat will be happy.
 
The latest in the AME guide has specific guidance on pg. 201 and 202 and can be found here:

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/aam/ame/guide/media/guide.pdf

Asymptomatic/mild infection: AME is to issue with notation "Asymptomatic or mild outpatient COVID-19 infection with full recovery.”

Prolonged outpatient: AME is to issue with notation "Prolonged outpatient COVID-19 infection with full recovery.” and provide symptoms and duration in block 60.

Hospitalization not requiring ICU: AME is to issue with notation "Inpatient treatment for COVID-19 infection with full recovery.” and provide details about hospital course and treatments given in block 60.

They're really mostly concerned with hospitalization in an ICU or ongoing/residual effects which require the AME to defer.

If your case is fully resolved with no side effects and no hospitalization you should be fine. Send them a letter stating you were never hospitalized, your infection has run its course, and that you have no residual side effects. Even better if you send a letter to the same effect signed by your PCP.
 
This is why it's important to have an AME with a clue (and up to date). He noted COVID but failed to indicate that you weren't hospitalized. They now want that confirmation. Unless you were hospitalized and in the ICU, it shouldn't be an issue.
 
The latest in the AME guide has specific guidance on pg. 201 and 202 and can be found here:

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/aam/ame/guide/media/guide.pdf

Does the FAA engage in the same public health data collection for all respiratory viruses, or just this one because it's popular? These fools can't think of a better use for their time.

As far as the pilot/AME not saying there was not hospitalization, why do they need an affirmative statement of such, when there is another question specifically about hospitalizations in general that would answer that question. It's like they don't even know what's on their own form.
 
Prolonged outpatient: AME is to issue with notation "Prolonged outpatient COVID-19 infection with full recovery.” and provide symptoms and duration in block 60.

Hospitalization not requiring ICU: AME is to issue with notation "Inpatient treatment for COVID-19 infection with full recovery.” and provide details about hospital course and treatments given in block 60.

They're really mostly concerned with hospitalization in an ICU or ongoing/residual effects which require the AME to defer.

To be clear, all of this is already covered with other questions on the medical form, including all of the medical history questions. Asking this specifically, separately for COVID makes zero sense.
 
This is why it's important to have an AME with a clue (and up to date). He noted COVID but failed to indicate that you weren't hospitalized. They now want that confirmation. Unless you were hospitalized and in the ICU, it shouldn't be an issue.
THIS!!!!
 
I think the hospitalization and ICU-admission rates are more meaningful for the purpose of evaluating the seriousness of the situation. It sounds like that's the FAA's attitude as well.
 
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