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COVID-19 Screening and Safety Protocols

COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Effective: April 2023

BIS’ priority is the safety of our staff and clients, and we understand that there are concerns about COVID-19 safety. BIS is especially taking staff concerns and well-being seriously. The goal is to safeguard staff as we continue to execute BIS’ mission. It will take a collective effort to ensure that we maintain the most secure work environment possible per the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), CDC, and other applicable agencies’ guidelines.

Office Safety Protocols

COVID-19 Symptoms

If You Have Been Exposed to COVID-19

Testing Guidance

Vaccination

Reporting and Communication

Office Safety Protocols

BIS follows the COVID-19 recommendations for organizations from the VDH, as well as any federal and local law or guidance.

While on BIS’s property, clients, volunteers, or other visitors agree to adhere to the following, which is also followed by BIS’s employees:

  • 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
  • Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue away immediately. Wash your hands immediately after.
  • 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 the positive test, the date symptoms began, or exposure, respectively.

  • Limit touching surfaces to only what is necessary. Disinfect all shared surfaces after touching
  • Follow all signage, tape, or other visual cues posted around the space.
  • Follow all protocols below including symptoms, exposure, testing and

COVID-19 Symptoms

If you experience any symptoms of COVID-19, you should not meet in person. First, get tested for COVID-19. Symptoms include, but are not limited to:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Diarrhea

If you experience any symptoms while onsite, notify a staff member immediately, and leave BIS premises.

Follow testing guidance.

If You Have Been Exposed to COVID-19

If you have been exposed to COVID-19, take precautions for 10 full days. Wear a high-quality mask or respirator if you are around others. Watch for symptoms. If you develop symptoms, isolate yourself immediately and get tested. Follow testing guidance.

Testing Guidance

You can end your isolation and continue with in-person meetings if you test negative. If you test positive, stay at home and isolate from others for at least 5 days, based on your symptoms as outlined below:
  • If you had no symptoms, you may end isolation after day
  • If you had symptoms and your symptoms are improving, you may end isolation after day 5 if you are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing )
  • If you had symptoms and your symptoms are not improving, continue to isolate until:
    • You are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication).
    • Your symptoms are
  • If you had symptoms and had a moderate illness (you experienced shortness of breath or had difficulty breathing), you need to isolate for 10 days.
  • If you had symptoms and had severe illness (you were hospitalized) or have a weakened immune system:
    • You need to isolate through day
    • Consult your doctor before ending
If any non-employee is diagnosed with COVID-19, BIS reserves the right to require the client/caregiver/visitor to obtain a negative COVID-19 test result prior to physically accessing BIS’ office.  

Vaccination

BIS strongly encourages all employees and non-employees to obtain and maintain up-to-date COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations.

Until further notice, all employees and non-employees, whether or not vaccinated, should continue to adhere to all office safety protocols as stated in the COVID-19 Employment Safety Protocols.

Reporting and Communication

Non-employees should report their own positive COVID-19 test result to BIS’s Director of Operations, NKenya Lassiter, as soon as possible. BIS will notify:

  • Its own employees and any non employees who may have been exposed within 24 hours of discovering the possible exposure while keeping the identity of the individual infected confidential in accordance with federal and Virginia laws and
All reports will be maintained as confidential to the greatest extent possible. 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. All clients, volunteers, and visitors have a right to obtain a copy of these protocols prior to the next in- person visit at one of our BIS locations. The protocols will be posted at each site and on BIS website.