Covid Protocols

The novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, causes a viral respiratory illness called COVID-19, which can make people sick with flu-like and other symptoms. The virus spreads easily when an infected person sneezes, coughs, or speaks, sending tiny droplets into the air. These droplets can land in the nose, mouth, or eyes of someone nearby and cause illness. The virus can also be caught from airborne virus, when small particles of infectious virus remain suspended in the air and people inhale them. People can also become infected if they touch an infectious droplet on a surface and then touch their own nose, mouth, or eyes.

Some of the symptoms of COVID-19 are cough, fever, shortness of breath, and new loss of taste or smell. Some people with mild cases may have no symptoms at all yet still can spread the virus. Staying at least six feet away from people outside of your household, covering your nose and mouth with a face covering, and washing hands often with soap and water can help stop COVID-19 from spreading in the workplace.

COVID-19 Prevention

Trackers Earth is committed to protecting our employees and preventing the spread of COVID-19 at our workplace. We developed this program to reduce our workers’ risk of catching and spreading this virus. We encourage employees to share information about potential COVID-19 hazards at our workplace and assist in evaluating these hazards. We will investigate all workplace illnesses and correct hazards that are identified. We stay informed on the virus presence in our community as well as recommendations made by national and local health agencies. We review and update this plan as necessary.

Designation

Local Directors offer the authority and responsibility for implementing this plan in the greater Portland region. All managers and supervisors are responsible for implementing this plan in their assigned work areas and ensuring employees’ questions are answered in a language they understand.

All employees are required to follow the policies and procedures laid out in this plan, use safe work practices, and assist in maintaining a safe work environment.

Recording

Keep accurate daily logs for each cohort. These logs must be maintained for a minimum of four weeks after the end of the program and must include the following information to support contact tracing, if necessary:

• Youth name
• Drop-off and pickup time for each youth
• Name of adult completing both drop off and pick up (adult signature not required)
• Adult emergency contact information for each youth
• Names of all staff that interact with a cohort of children (including floater staff) during the day
• Daily health checks of each child, noting if check was a pass or fail (do not note specific information)
• If transportation is provided by the program, document names of all other riders and their contact information (if not recorded elsewhere).

Transport

Comply with the Ready Schools, Safe Learners Guidance, Section 2i, Transportation if providing transportation services.

Participate Restrictions

Restrict from the program any youth or staff known to be a confirmed close contact of an individual with COVID-19 or who has been exposed (e.g., by a household member, friend or relative) to COVID-19 within the preceding 14 days.

• Any youth or staff with a confirmed COVID-19 exposure within this timeframe should be quarantined and restricted from participation for up to 14 days from their last exposure. Although a 14-day quarantine is the safest option to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to others, the local public health authority (LPHA) may allow close contacts who have not developed any symptoms to end quarantine after 10 days without any testing, or after 7 days with a negative result on a COVID-19 viral test collected within 48 hours before ending quarantine, with the following exceptions:
  • Fully vaccinated people who had an exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they meet the following criteria:
    • They have received both doses of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine (or one dose of a single-dose vaccine), AND
    • It has been at least 14 days since their final dose of COVID-19 vaccine AND
    • They have no COVID-19 symptoms
  • Fully vaccinated people who do not quarantine should still watch for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days following an exposure. If they experience COVID-19 symptoms, they should follow the guidance for people with symptoms (see immediately below).
  • Close contacts who themselves had a previous confirmed or presumptive COVID-19 case (verified by a positive viral COVID-19 test and/or LPHA) and have completed their isolation are not required to quarantine if the new exposure happened within 90 days of symptom onset or first positive test, whichever is earlier, for their original case
• Communicate to staff not to report to work in person and communicate to parents not to bring their child to the program if they currently have or recently had an illness with COVID-19 symptoms.
  • A staff person or child with COVID-19 symptoms should stay home for at least 10 days after illness starts and until 24 hours after fever is gone, without use of fever-reducing medicine, and COVID-19 symptoms have resolved.
  • Staff or youth who have a cough that is not a new-onset cough (e.g. asthma, allergies, etc.), do not need to be excluded from the program. Programs may choose to collect information about existing conditions that cause coughing and runny nose on intake forms.
• Report to and consult with the LPHA regarding cleaning and possible classroom or program closure if anyone who has entered the program is diagnosed with COVID-19.
• Report to LPHA any illness consistent with COVID-19 among youth program staff or students who attended youth programs within the previous 14 days.=

General

The following guidelines:

• We must provide hand sanitizer, handwashing facilities, tissues and garbage receptacles that are easily accessible to both youth and staff.
• Require all persons in the program to frequently wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (e.g., after using the restroom, before and after meals, after coming inside, after sneezing, blowing the nose or coughing).
  • Alcohol-based hand-sanitizer (60 to 95%) may be used as an alternative to handwashing, except when eating, preparing or serving food and after using the restroom. If soap and water is not available (e.g. back country camp), alcohol-based hand sanitizer may be used; however, every effort should be made to facilitate soap and water handwashing.
• Remind staff and youth often to do the following:
  • Cover coughs and sneezes, even when wearing a mask, with a tissue or elbow;
  • Throw any used tissue away immediately into a garbage receptacle; and
  • Clean hands after covering coughs and sneezes, and after throwing away used tissues.

Screening

Ensure all youth and staff verify that they are symptom free and have not had any known exposure to individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 during the 14-day period prior to arrival on camp.

• Check for new COVID-19 symptoms for anyone entering the program facility/area or working with youth and staff. This can be done visually as well as by asking children and staff about any new symptoms or close contact with someone with COVID-19. For children, confirmation from a parent/caregiver or guardian can also be appropriate. Staff members can self-screen and attest to their own health, but regular reminders of the importance of daily screening must be provided to staff.
  • Direct children and staff to stay home if they have COVID-19 symptoms. COVID19 symptoms are as follows: ▪ Primary symptoms of concern: cough, fever (temperature of 100.4°F or higher) or chills, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, or new loss of taste or smell.
  • Note that muscle pain, headache, sore throat, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, new nasal congestion, and runny nose are also symptoms often associated with COVID-19. More information about COVID-19 symptoms is available from the CDC.
• If a youth or staff member exhibits or develops a new cough (e.g., unrelated to pre-existing condition such as asthma), fever, shortness of breath or other primary symptoms of COVID-19 during the day/class session, separate from others and send them home as soon as possible.
  • While waiting for a sick child to be picked up, a staff member must stay with the youth in an area away from others. The caregiver must wear a face covering and should remain as far away as safely possible from the youth (preferably at least six (6) feet), while remaining in the same room or outdoor area.
  • The sick youth or staff are strongly encouraged to get tested. If they test positive, or do not have testing performed, they must stay home for at least 10 days after illness started and until 24 hours after fever and COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath, and diarrhea) have resolved without the use of medication.