To: All Awareness Health Screening Staff Re: New Protocols in response to COVID-19
Hello Team!
As I mentioned in my previous email, based on the increased risk of exposure we all face as Wellness Technicians at screening events, I feel it is important to incorporate an extra level of safety to protect us and the employees we serve. I have connected with our Lab and Medical Directors, Dr. Scott Treatman and Dr. Bethany Tennant, to help me develop a set of new protocols that we believe will be extremely effective in reducing our risk and allow us to do our work professionally and compassionately. While these new measures are intended to reduce the risk of exposure, the most important element of safety is always remaining aware of your actions and your surroundings.
The enclosed protocols are mandatory until further notice. There will be a short comprehension exam that you must pass with a score of 100% to be eligible to work future screening events. This exam is intended to ensure that each of us is aware of the protocols and agrees to enact them for the safety of others and our own wellbeing.
I am truly excited to be planning our time together again at screening events and look forward to seeing you all soon.
Bret
New and Additional Precautions to Reduce the Spread of COVID-19
We look forward to delivering our Awareness Health Screening Services to your employees on the dates indicated in the attached Letter of Agreement. Given the rising prevalence of COVID-19 in our service area, we have begun implementing new protocols to protect both our Team and your employees from increased risk of infection. Through our analysis of our previous protocols and current recommendations provided by state and national agencies we have developed the following guidelines and mandatory procedures.
Our risk stems from:
Close proximity to employees- In order to perform a finger stick procedure as well as other assessments, we will be closer than the recommended distancing of 1 meter from your employees. Therefore, we are at a greater risk for airborne and droplet (respiratory secretions) transmission.
Direct employee contact- In order to perform a finger stick procedure as well as other assessments, we will be required to make direct contact with your employees. Therefore, we are at a greater risk for direct contact transmission.
Indirect contact- The workspace, equipment and supplies we use to conduct screenings are all possible sources of indirect contact with COVID-19. Current understanding is that the virus can remain viable for multiple hours on surfaces. Therefore, we are at a greater risk for indirect contact transmission.
Requirements for your Client Employees Receiving our Services
We require masks for all client employees before entering a screening area or interacting with InDeed Wellness team members. InDeed Wellness is not responsible for providing masks to your employees.
Temperature screening of all employees before entering the screening area is required through the use of an infrared thermometer validated to take temperatures from the forehead. Any employee with a temperature >100°F will not be admitted to the screening area and be asked to leave the waiting area immediately to limit exposure to any InDeed Wellness team members as well as other client employees.
Symptom screening including cough, shortness of breath and sore throat will be conducted before entering the screening area.
Client employees will be required to complete hand hygiene procedures by using alcohol based hand sanitizer (ABHS) before being allowed to enter the screening area.
We recommend that client employees wear long-sleeve shirts and pants to their appointments to minimize direct skin to skin contact.
Protocols now mandatory for all InDeed Wellness Staff PPE Required for all InDeed Wellness Staff
Disposable lab coats to be worn at all times and changed immediately if the lab coat becomes soiled or is suspected of being contaminated by respiratory secretions.
Disposable medical masks or full face shields to be worn at all times while engaged in any work-related activities in the presence of other people. This includes from arrival to departure at client worksites. If medical masks are used, goggles are to be worn at all times while working with client employees.
Disposable non-sterile gloves are to be worn at all times in the client workplace screening area. Gloves will continue to be changed for each employee as usual but must be done before a new employee enters the screening area, preferably while the entering employee is watching.
While changing gloves for each employee, team members are required to conduct hand hygiene by using an approved ABHS.
Prior to starting each shift, InDeed Wellness team members will be required to sign a symptom-free attestation and complete a thermal screening for fever (>100ºF).
Changes to Screening Protocols
We will no longer offer body fat screening due to the amount of direct contact required by both our team members and employees. This screening, while useful for explaining BMI levels, is not a required component to meet our clients’ program guidelines and the benefit of additional health education does not outweigh the increased risk of exposure.
We will no longer offer waist circumference screening due to the increased risk of exposure to our team members.
Blood pressure screening- Disinfecting wipes will be used in the presence of the employee to thoroughly disinfect blood pressure cuff contact areas and stethoscopes.
Disposable work pads will be changed for each employee receiving a finger stick.
All equipment (i.e. blood analyzers) and accessories (i.e. vials of test reagents, pens, etc.) will be positioned 1 meter or more from the employee at all times. If you suspect contamination of equipment from respiratory secretions, use disinfecting wipes to clean equipment before removing your gloves.
Use disinfecting wipes to clean any areas that you believe may have been exposed to respiratory secretions or direct contact contamination.
Screening supply trays are to remain closed at all times while an employee is in the screening area. This is intended to limit exposure of items used for testing, such as bandaids, gauze and lancets.
Our message about COVID-19
If asked, we recommend that employees follow CDC/WHO guidelines, primarily, along with any additional local requirements. We believe that the wider the perspective the better the data. Local authorities tend to develop policies based on the perspectives of their constituents. COVID-19 is a global pandemic that has consistent transmission patterns irrespective of nationality, race, creed, or belief systems.
Our goal is to take the higher level of precaution at all times in deference to the equitable distribution of resources such as masks and other PPE.
We want to help spread useful and evidence-based information about how to limit the risk of exposure to COVID-19 through our demonstration of actions that have been proven to reduce the likelihood of transmission.