COVID-19 EXPOSURE PREVENTION, PREPAREDNESS, AND RESPONSE PLAN
UPDATED 3/14/22
La Casita Bilingüe Montessori School (Hereinafter La Casita) takes the health and safety of our employees and children very seriously. With the spread of the coronavirus or Covid-19, a respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the La Casita will remain vigilant in mitigating the spread of Covid-19 in our center. In order to be safe and maintain operations, we have developed this Covid-19 Exposure Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Plan to be implemented, to the extent feasible and appropriate, throughout the center. La Casita has also identified a team of employees to monitor the related guidance that Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Community Care Licensing, and Contra Costa County Health Department continue to make available. This team is made up of Director and Office Assistant.
This Plan is based on information available from the CDC, OSHA, Community Care Licensing, and Contra Costa County Health Department at the time of its development and revision on 3/14/22 and is subject to change based on further information provided by the CDC, OSHA and other public agencies. La Casita may also amend this Plan based on operational needs.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DIRECTOR
The director must be familiar with this Plan and be ready to answer questions from employees. Director must set a good example by following this Plan at all times. This Plan involves practicing good personal hygiene and school safety practices to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Director must encourage this same behavior from all employees.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYEES
La Casita is asking every one of our employees to help with our prevention efforts while at work. In order to minimize the spread of Covid-19 at our school, everyone must play their part. As set forth below, La Casita has instituted various housekeeping, social distancing, and other best practices at our school. All employees must follow these. In addition, if you have a specific question about this Plan or Covid-19, please ask the Director.
· Employees are expected to report to the Director if they are experiencing signs or symptoms of Covid-19, as described on the next page. DO NOT COME TO WORK.
· It is recommended that staff wear a mask at all times within the school including in the ply yard. If you did not bring a mask or need a mask, please find one at the entrances, in classroom, or ask the office for mask.
· Wear gloves when changing a soiled child, parents, helping a child with toileting, when serving food, helping a child to blow nose, cleaning up bodily fluids, and using cleaning products.
· Avoid exposure to the virus by limiting contact with others and maintaining a social distance of 6” as practical.
· Frequently wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. When soap and running water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand rub with at least 60% alcohol.
· Use hand sanitizer intermittently throughout the day.
· Do not touch eyes, nose, ears, mouth, or face before thoroughly washing your hands.
· You must clean hands after going to the bathroom., before eating, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.
· Cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue or cloth or garment while tilting your head downward; or do so into your elbow.
· Discard a tissue used for wiping face, nose, mouth, or eyes in trash cans provided throughout the school.
· Clean and disinfect surfaces, toys and equipment regularly with bleach solution or sanitizer.
· Monitor yourself for any symptoms such as a fever, cough, or respiratory difficulty.
· Don’t shake hands when greeting others.
· Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
In addition, employees must familiarize themselves with the symptoms of COVID-19, WHICH INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
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· Cough
· Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
· Fever
· Chills
· Muscle pain
· Sore Throat
· New loss of taste or smell
· This list if not all possible symptoms. Other less common symptoms have been reported, including gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
If you develop a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as cough or shortness of breath, DO NOT GO TO WORK AND CALL YOUR DIRECTOR AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDER RIGHT AWAY. Likewise, if you come into close contact with someone showing these symptoms, call your director and healthcare provider right away.
If you or a family member who reside with you test positive for Covid-19, you must notify director immediately and follow current quarantine procedures. Director will outline the current quarantine procedures.
WHEN TO SEEK EMERGENCY MEDICAL ATTENTION
Look for emergency warning signs * COVID-19. If someone is showing any of thee signs, seek emergency medical care immediately
· Trouble breathing
· Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
· New confusion
· Inability to wake or stay awake
· Bluish lips or face
* This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.
Call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility: notify the operator that you ae seeking care for someone who has or may have COVID-19.
SAFE WORK PRACTICES
La Casita School has instituted the following protective measures at La Casita.
· All adults and children entering the facility will have the forehead temperature checked using a contactless thermometer
· Any child or employee having a fever 100F or more will not be allowed to enter the center.
· Any employee/parent/child showing symptoms of COVID-19 WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE LA CASITA AND RETURN HOME.
· Parents are asked to make an appointment in possible before visiting the classroom until further notice.
· All events/gatherings involving large numbers of people inside are cancelled/postponed until further notice.
· Alcohol and non-alcohol-based sanitizers, hand soap, tissue will be available throughout the school.
· Disposable face masks will be available to employees if needed at the entrances, classroom, and office.
· Employees will be encouraged to stagger breaks and lunches, if practicable, to reduce the size of any group at any one time to at most two people
· In lieu of using a common source of drinking water, such as a water fountain, employees should use individual water bottles.
· Turn of air purifier in classroom cat all times and open window to improve ventilation in classroom.
· If you travel, domestically or internationally, please test yourself before your return to La Casita. You may use a home FDA-approved COVID-19 test kit. If you use a home test, please test on day 3 prior to your return to La Casita and again on day 1 prior to your return. Please notify La Casita of test results prior to your return to La Casita. Please make travel arranges so that you can accommodate this testing without require any extra days off.
SCHOOL CLEANING AND DISINFECTING
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· High touch surfaces will be cleaned regularly throughout the day with disinfectants.
· Disinfectants will be one of the following: Alcohol based (minimum60%alcohol) or approved non-alcohol-based sanitizers, bleach solution.
· Breakroom/lunch/snack areas need to be disinfected after use.
· Adult toilets: Use disposable toilet seat covers and sanitize sink/Faucet after each use.
EMPLOYEE EXHIBITS COVID-19 SYMPTOMS/ EMPLOYEE TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19/ EMPLOYEE HAS CLOSE CONTACT WITH AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS TESTED POSITIVE FORCOVID-19
Each of these scenarios requires a difference response and possible quarantine procedure. If any of these scenarios pertains to you, please notify director immediately and director with review current quarantine protocols and procedures.
Confirmed positive cases of Covid-19: staff will follow current quarantine procedures outlines by director, all La Casita families and staff will be notified, Contra Costa County Health Department will be notified, and Community Care Licensing will be notified.
RECORDKEEPING & REPORTING
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Immediately report any confirmed COVID-19 case to:
· The county health officer/SPOT Intake Form DPH
· Community Care Licensing
· Document the case in the employee file
FACILITY DISINFECTING/DEEP CLEANING IN CASE OF CONFIRMED CASE
If a child or employee is confirmed to have COVID-19at the school, the location may be temporarily shut down, depending on guidance and requirements from the County Health Department and/or Community Care Licensing. If closures is mandated by aforementioned authorities, all parents and staff will be informed immediately.
If the La Casita is ordered to shut down, while the school is shut down, a deep cleaning and disinfecting will be performed throughout the school before reopening.