COVID-19 Screening and Safety Protocols

Introduction

Brain Injury Services (“BIS”) follows the COVID–19 Screening, Monitoring, and Testing Guidelines and Reopening Guidelines from the Virginia Department of Health (“VDH”), as well as any federal and local law or guidance. These COVID–19 Daily Self–Screening and Safety Protocols (“Protocols”) cover the following important topics:

1. Daily COVID–19 Self–Screening
2. Return to In–Person and On–Premises Activities
3. Safety Protocols while Performing or Receiving In–Person Services or while on BIS Premises

Daily COVID–19 Self–Screening

BIS requires all employees, volunteers, contractors, clients, and caregivers (“Covered Individuals”) to conduct the below Self-Screening prior to each day they either: 1) perform or receive in-person BIS services (including at-home visits); and/or 2) access BIS premises (including BIS offices and the Clubhouse). The court-appointed or court-approved legal guardian (“Legal Guardian”), if any, for a Covered Individual is responsible for ensuring that such Covered Individual completes the Self-Screening each time. Failure to do so may result in the denial of access to in-person BIS services or BIS premises.

Covered Individuals (or their Legal Guardian) should not perform the Daily COVID-19 Self-Screening if they have been notified by a local health department or a healthcare provider that they are suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19. If a Covered Individual has been so notified, he/she should contact the following:

• For volunteers, contractors, clients and caregivers: Director of Operations NKenya Lassiter, nlassiter@braininjurysvcs.org or 703–451–8881 ext 236
• For employees: Human Resources Meja Petchel, mpetchel@nonprofithr.com or (202) 503–3806

BIS will maintain the confidentiality of any information provided by Covered Individuals as legally required.

If the Covered Individual, or the Covered Individual’s Legal Guardian on his/her behalf, answers “YES” to any of the following COVID-19 Self-Screening questions, the Covered Individual must not report for in-person BIS services or access BIS premises. If the Covered Individual, or the Covered Individual’s Legal Guardian on his/her behalf, answers “NO” to all of the following questions, the Covered Individual may report for in-person BIS services or access BIS premises.

The following are the COVID–19 Self–Screening questions:

1. Have you had a new fever of 100.4 or higher or a sense of having a fever within the last 5 days?
2. Have you had a new cough that is not attributable to a health condition other than COVID–19 within the last 5 days?
3. Have you had new shortness of breath or breathing difficulty that is not attributable to a health condition other than COVID–19 within the last 5 days?
4. Have you experienced new fatigue that is not attributable to a health condition other than COVID–19 within the last 5 days?
5. Have you had a new loss of your sense of taste or smell within the last 5 days?
6. Have you had a new headache that is not attributable to a health condition other than COVID–19 within the last 5 days?
7. Have you had a new sore throat that is not attributable to a health condition other than COVID–19 within the last 5 days?
8. Have you had a new muscle or body ache that is not attributable to a health condition other than COVID–19 or a specific activity (such as physical exercise) within the last 5 days?
9. Have you had new chills that are not attributable to a health condition other than COVID–19 within the last 5 days?
10. Have you had an episode of nausea, vomiting or diarrhea that that is not attributable to a health condition other than COVID–19 within the last 5 days?
11. Have you had a new runny nose or congestion that is not attributable to a health condition other than COVID–19 within the last 5 days?
12. Have you had a new runny nose or congestion that is not attributable to a health condition other than COVID–19 within the last 5 days?
13. Have you had close contact (less than 6 feet away for a combined total of 15 minutes or more over a 24–hour period) with or are caring for or living with an individual who is confirmed or suspected to have COVID–19 within the last 5 days?
14. Have you travelled internationally within the last 5 days? Note, in answering this question, please understand that “travelled” does not include passing through by way of an airport or by car. [BIS employees: If you have answered ‘YES’ to this question, please provide BIS Administration with your travel information so that risk can be assessed prior to applying for access to BIS’ premises or providing in–person services.]

Returning to BIS In–Person and On–Premises Activities

• As an added safety measure for BIS staff and clients, employees and non–employees must provide documentation of one of the following prior to accessing BIS’ premises and/or providing in–person services:
  • Proof of vaccination
    • Employees: Submit to HR
    • Non–employees: Submit to your primary BIS contact
  • Negative test results
    • Employees: At least weekly – submit to HR
    • Non–employees: Within three days prior to in–person service – submit to your primary BIS contact
• If you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID–19, you should consult your physician and get tested for COVID–19 and stay home before testing and while awaiting test results. If your test result is positive, stay home until at least: (1) 5 days have passed since symptom onset, and (2) at least 24 hours have passed with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and (3) other symptoms have improved.
  
• If you have tested positive for COVID–19, but are not experiencing symptoms, you should stay home for at least 5 days.
• If you have come into close contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID–19, you should stay home for at least 5 days from the day of your last exposure to the individual, or longer per the guidelines if you develop symptoms.

For additional information on when to isolate and when to end isolation, see guidance from the Virginia Department of Health.

Safety Protocols while Performing or Receiving In–Person Services or while on BIS Premises

While performing or receiving BIS in–person services or accessing BIS premises, Covered Individuals agree to adhere to the following BIS:

• Immediately notify your supervisor or a staff member if you begin to feel ill. Leave BIS premises immediately.
• Practice proper hand hygiene. Wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm/hot water and soap or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Hand sanitizer is available throughout the BIS space.
• Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue away immediately. Wash your hands immediately after.
• Maintain appropriate physical distance between yourself and others, as much as possible (at least 6 feet).
• Do not engage in direct physical contact with others.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Wearing a face covering is encouraged, but optional, for BIS employees and non–employees, if you are not within 10 days of:
  • Having confirmed or suspected COVID–19
  • Having close contact with a person who has COVID–19 while they were contagious
• If you have had confirmed or suspected COVID–19, or have had close contact with a person who has COVID–19 while they were contagious, you must wear a well–fitting mask through the tenth day of positive test, date symptoms began, or exposure, respectively.
• Limit touching surfaces to only what is necessary. Disinfect all shared surfaces after touching them.
• Follow all signage, tape, or other visual cues posted around the space.
• Gathering in common areas may only be done if space permits proper social distancing. Due to limited space, only one person may be allowed in the kitchen or copy room at once.
• At the end of each day, clean your workspace. BIS will provide cleaning and disinfecting supplies.
• Do not share desks, keyboards, telephones, writing equipment, or any other office supply.
• If possible, conduct BIS–related meetings virtually.

As an additional safety measure, BIS supports the VDH’s COVID–19 exposure notification app to help top COVID–19 spread. We encourage you to download the app COVIDWISE in the App Store or on Google Play. For more information, visit their website covidwise.org.

Note: Federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines are subject to change. BIS reserves the right to amend and update these protocols as necessary at its sole discretion.