COVID-19 PLAN

LAKE MICHIGAN ANIMAL HOSPITAL


COVID-19 PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PLAN
(in addition to our COVID-19 update)
Prepared: 5/22/2020


COVID-19 PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PLAN (in addition to our COVID-19 update as posted on our website)

This Plan is based on information and guidance from the CDC and OSHA at the time of its development and is based on Michigan's Executive Order 2020-97and OSHA Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19. This plan is posted at Lake Michigan Animal Hospital and online at www.lakemichigananimalhospital.com.

The safety of our employees and visitors remain the top priority at Lake Michigan Animal Hospital. We recognize that all individuals are responsible for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and reduce the potential risk of exposure to our workforce and visitors. As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to evolve and spread, Lake Michigan Animal Hospital is monitoring the situation closely and will update our guidance based on the most current recommendations from the CDC, World Health Organization (WHO), OSHA and any other public entities.

Lake Michigan Animal Hospital is an essential business and takes the health and safety of our employees seriously. We are all living through the spread of COVID-19 and as an essential business, need to continue in-person work. We want you to know that we are committed to reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19 and we are ready to provide a healthy and safe workplace for our employees, clients and patients.
  
Our plan is based on information and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) at the time of its development. Because the COVID-19 situation is frequently changing, the need for modifications may occur based on further guidance provided by the CDC, OSHA, and other public officials at the state or local levels. Lake Michigan Animal Hospital is focused on three lines of defense:

    1.  Limiting the number of people together at the same time in the same place,
    2.  Sanitizing all areas and
    3.  Requiring appropriate personal protection equipment including but not limited to face masks, gowns and gloves when appropriate.

Note: Lake Michigan Animal Hospital may amend this Plan based on changing requirements and the need of our business.

The spread of COVID-19 in the workplace can come from several sources:
    • Co-workers
    • Clients
    • Vendors 
COVID-19 WORKPLACE COORDINATORS (TASK FORCE)

Lake Michigan Animal Hospital has designated the following staff as its COVID-19 Workplace Coordinators: Andrea Verhougstraete and Kristina Baszler. 

The Coordinators responsibilities include:
    • staying up to date on federal, state and local guidance
    • incorporating those recommendations into our workplace
    • training our workforce on control practices, proper use of personal protective equipment, the steps employees must take to notify our business of any COVID-19 symptoms or suspected cases of COVID-19.
    • reviewing HR policies and practices to ensure they are consistent with this Plan and existing local, state and federal requirements


RESPONSIBILITIES OF Lake Michigan Animal Hospital MANAGERS

All Lake Michigan Animal Hospital managers must be familiar with this Plan and be ready to answer questions from employees. Additionally, Lake Michigan Animal Hospital expects that all managers will set a good example by following this Plan. This includes practicing good personal hygiene and jobsite safety practices to prevent the spread of the virus. Managers must encourage this same behavior from all employees.

Lake Michigan Animal Hospital will require and keep a record of all self-screening protocols for all employees or contractors entering the worksite.

Lake Michigan Animal Hospital will:
    • Keep everyone on the worksite premises at least six feet from one another to the maximum extent possible, including through the use of ground markings, signs, and physical barriers, as appropriate to the worksite.
    • Provide non-medical grade face coverings to their employees, with supplies of N95 masks and surgical masks reserved, for now, for health care professionals, first responders (e.g., police officers, fire fighters, paramedics), and other critical workers.
    • Require face coverings to be worn when employees cannot consistently maintain six feet of separation from other individuals in the workplace, and consider face shields when employees cannot consistently maintain three feet of separation from other individuals in the workplace.
    • Increase facility cleaning and disinfection to limit exposure to COVID-19, especially on high-touch surfaces (e.g., door handles), paying special attention to parts, products, and shared equipment.
    • Adopt protocols to clean and disinfect the facility in the event of a positive COVID-19 case in the workplace.
    • Make cleaning supplies available to employees upon entry and at the worksite and provide time for employees to wash hands frequently or to use hand sanitizer.
    • When an employee is identified with a confirmed case of COVID-19, within 24 hours, notify both:
    1. The local public health department, and
    2. Any co-workers, contractors, or suppliers who may have come into contact with the person with a confirmed case of COVID-19
    • Adopt protocols to clean and disinfect the facility in the event of a positive COVID-19 case in the workplace.
    • Conduct a daily entry self-screening protocol for all employees or contractors entering the workplace, including, at a minimum, a questionnaire covering symptoms and suspected or confirmed exposure to people with possible COVID-19.
    • Train employees on how to report unsafe work conditions.

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RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYEES


We are asking each of our employees to help with our prevention efforts while at work. Lake Michigan Animal Hospital understands that in order to minimize the impact of COVID-19 at our facility, everyone needs to play her part. We have instituted several best practices to minimize exposure to COVID-19 and prevent its spread in the workplace.  This includes specific cleaning efforts and social distancing. While here at work, all employees must follow these best practices for them to be effective. Beyond these best practices, we require employees to report to their managers immediately if they, or anyone in their immediate household, are experiencing signs or symptoms of COVID-19, as described below. If employees have specific questions about this Plan or COVID-19, they should  contact Andrea Verhougstraete or Kristina Baszler.

OSHA and the CDC Prevention Guidelines 


OSHA and the CDC have provided the following preventive guidance for all workers, regardless of exposure risk:
    • 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.
    • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
    • Follow appropriate respiratory etiquette, which includes covering for coughs and sneezes.
    • Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.
    • Maintain appropriate social distance of six feet to the greatest extent possible.

Additionally, employees must familiarize themselves with the symptoms and exposure risks of COVID-19. The primary symptoms of COVID-19 include the following:
    • Dry cough;
    • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
      
Or at least two of these symptoms:
    • Fever (either feeling feverish or a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher);
    • Chills
    • Repeated shaking with chills
    • Muscle pain
    • Headache
    • Sore throat
    • New loss of taste or smell
      
Individuals with COVID-19 may also have early symptoms such as, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, and runny nose.

If you develop a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as an atypical cough or shortness of breath, do not report to work.  You must also notify your manager immediately, and consult your healthcare provider and testing may be required. Similarly, if employees come into close contact with someone showing these symptoms, they must notify their manager immediately and consult their healthcare provider and testing may be required. We have the responsibility to work to identify and notify all employees who have close contact with individuals with COVID-19 symptoms. “Close contact” is not brief or incidental contact with a person with COVID-19 symptoms. 

The CDC defines “close contact” as either:
    • Being within roughly six feet of a COVID-19 infected person or a person with any symptom(s) for a “prolonged period of time;” ( the CDC estimates range from 10 to 30 minutes, or,
    • Having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 infected person or a person with any COVID-19 symptom(s) (i.e., being coughed on).

Minimizing exposure from co-workers.
 
Lake Michigan Animal Hospital takes the following steps to minimize exposure from co-workers to COVID-19 by educating employees on protective behaviors that reduce the spread of COVID-19 and provide employees with the necessary tools for these protective behaviors, including implementing curbside service, telemedicine when appropriate, appropriate social distancing and wearing appropriate PPE. 

General Education:  
    • Posting CDC information, including recommendations on risk factors 
    • Providing tissues and no-touch trash bins to minimize exposure to infectious secretions
    • Informing employees of the importance of good hand hygiene. Regularly washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is one of the most effective ways for employees to minimize exposure to COVID-19. If soap and water are not readily available, employees should use alcohol-based hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol. If hands are visibly dirty, soap and water should be chosen over hand sanitizer.
    • Encourage good hand hygiene by ensuring that adequate supplies of soap and hand sanitizer are maintained and placing hand sanitizers in multiple locations.
    • Discourage handshaking and encourage the use of other non-contact methods of greeting
    • When possible, avoid the use of other employees’ phones, desks, offices, other work tools and equipment, and other commonly touched surfaces. 
    • If the above cannot be avoided, clean and disinfect them before and after use

Social Distancing
    • Limit in-person meetings
    • Restrict the number of workers present on-site to no more than necessary
    • Encourage and require social distancing to the greatest extent possible while in the workplace  
    • Consider use of masks and gloves
    • Do not share food utensils and food with other employees  
    • In areas where employees work within 6 feet of each other, computer stations should be moved or repositioned to increase distance if possible.
    • Deliver items through curb-side pick-up or delivery
      
 Checklist for Employers when employee tests positive for COVID-19 
    • Treat positive test results and “suspected but unconfirmed” cases of COVID-19 the same. 
    • We will  notify the local health department and any co-workers, clients or suppliers that may have come into contact with the person as directed by the local health department.
    • Any co-workers who may have come into contact with employee at work within the past 14 days that they may have been exposed to COVID-19 may have  testing  required as determined  by health-care provider and health department.
    • Arrange for a professional cleaning of the employee’s workspace, immediate surrounding area, and areas likely visited (break room, restroom, etc.) if required by health department, otherwise deep clean entire building as directed. 
    • Respond to inquiries by CDC or public health authorities as received. 

Restrict employees from the workplace if they display symptoms of COVID-19
    • For employees who are completing in-person work, health assessments (temperature checks) and/or questionnaires prior to entry into the facility.
    • Any employee with COVID-19 symptoms will be immediately separated from other individuals and sent home. 
    • The ability to work remotely will be encouraged where possible.
    • Guidance from the employee’s health care provider on their return to work date will be required.

If an employee has a confirmed case of COVID-19, Lake Michigan Animal Hospital ensures the following: 
    • We will communicate with co-workers
    • We will work with our local health department to provide them with the name of any identified employees that may have been exposed
    • We will report cases to OSHA via their reporting/recordkeeping requirements
    • Lake Michigan Animal Hospital will follow CDC and State guideline protocols for return to work, including workplace contact tracing and CDC-recommended cleaning and disinfecting in all affected areas 
    • Guidance from the employee’s health care provider will also be considered
    • We will perform increased environmental cleaning and disinfection
    • Employees should sanitize their work areas upon arrival, throughout the workday, and immediately before leaving for the day
    • We will all routinely clean and disinfect all frequently touched surfaces in the workplace, such as workstations, keyboards, telephones, handrails, and doorknobs.
    •  Lake Michigan Animal Hospital provides cleaning supplies so that commonly used surfaces (for example, doorknobs, keyboards, copiers, desks, other work tools and equipment) can be wiped down by employees before each use.
    • Eliminate/restrict work-related travel if possible and limit employees’ exposure to employee who traveled until we can confirm traveling employee does not have COVID-19 symptoms
    • Employees at a higher risk for serious illness due to COVID-19 will be encouraged to work remotely. If working remotely is not possible, additional precautions will be put in place to ensure their safety, including working in separate workspaces.