HMS School Covid 19 Protections for staff and students

1. HMS COVID-19
Health and
Safety Module
#4
Protections for Staff and Students

2. Module Outline
I. Regulatory Awareness (CDC/State/County/Local)
II. Daily symptom/temperature screening
III. Virtual learning/meeting opportunities
IV. Cohorting student and staff groupings
V. Staggered/assigned scheduling
VI. Reporting/notification of Covid-19 symptoms or exposure
VII.COVID-19 exposure/isolation/disinfection policy

3. Goals for Module #4
● Understand Basics of COVID-19 Regulatory Awareness (*to be explored
further in Module #5)
● Understand requirements for daily symptom/temperature checks
● Be aware of options to limit exposure risk (ie. virtual learning/meeting
opportunities
● Understand procedure for cohorting students and staff
● Be aware of staggered/assigned scheduling to reduce community density
● Understand how and when to report HMS of COVID-19 symptoms or
exposure
● Understand HMS COVID-19 exposure/isolation/infection policy

4. I. Regulatory Awareness
● It is the responsibility of all affiliates
of HMS school to stay up to date on
COVID Regulations as they pertain to
Return to School including Symptom
Monitoring, Physical Distancing
Requirements, etc.
● Specific Federal, State, County and City
of Philadelphia Regulations will be
explored further in Module #5.
https://www.clinicalleader.com/doc/assessing-the-impact-of-covid-
on-regulatory-interactions-inspections-audits-0001

5. II. Daily Symptom Screening
● Fever equal to or higher than 100.4 F*
● Are you under evaluation for COVID-19 (for example, waiting for the results of a
viral test to confirm infection)
● Have you been diagnosed with COVID-19 and not yet cleared to discontinue
isolation
● Are you exhibiting any of the following COVID-19 symptoms?
○ Fever or feeling feverish (chills, sweating)
○ New cough
○ Difficulty breathing
○ Sore throat
○ Muscle aches or body aches
○ Vomiting or diarrhea
○ New loss of taste or smell https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

6. HMS Daily Health Screening
● All employees will be screened before entering the building. This
will include a temperature check and a set of health-related
questions that will need to be answered before entering the
building each day.
● All students will have a temperature check on exiting their bus
before entering school. Parents/guardians should monitor child’s
symptoms each day before arrival to school

7. COVID-19
Screening
@ HMS
School

8. COVID-19
Screening
@ HMS
School

9. III. Virtual Learning/Meeting Opportunities
● HMS will continue to have an
“open door” policy- although
now that door will be virtual.
● *Virtual Instruction and
therapies will be provided for
students in need of such
accommodation
● When possible virtual
interaction should be
prioritized (ie. Video
Conference/Remote Work).
https://www.bricker.com/insights-resources/publications/us-department-of-education-
discusses-best-practices-for-maintaining-ferpa-and-virtual-learning-during-covid-19

10. IV. Cohorting Staff & Student Groups
● Cohorting forms groups of students, teachers or staff, that stay together
throughout the school day to minimize exposure for students, teachers,
and staff across the school environment.
● Ideally students and staff only have physical proximity to others in the
same cohort.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/reopening-schools-faqs.html

11. Benefits of Cohorting
● Limiting cross-over between students, staff, teachers and families to the
extent possible will
○ Decrease opportunities for exposure to or transmission of SARS-CoV-2,
○ Facilitate more efficient contact tracing in the event of a positive case,
○ Allow for targeted testing, quarantine, and isolation of a single cohort
instead of school-wide measures in the event of a positive case or
cluster of cases.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/reopening-schools-faqs.html

12. V. Hybrid/Assigned Scheduling
● Students will be assigned to a cohort, a defined student/staff group, to minimize
transmission risk.
● Teachers, therapists, educational aides, nurses and PCAs will be assigned to a
cohort student group to minimize transmission risk.
● Cohorts will be assigned to designated areas/spaces within the building, and at
scheduled times to minimize cross contamination and transmission risk.
● Student schedules will be developed to limit rotation between multiple use
area/spaces and persons.
● Students at HMS may be more negatively impacted by physical distancing
○ Attempts to meet physical distancing guidelines should meet the needs of
the individual child and may require creative solutions, often on a case-by-
case basis.
https://services.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-infections/clinical-guidance/covid-19-planning-considerations-return-to-in-person-education-in-schools/

13. VI. Reporting COVID-19 Symptoms/Exposure
● Employees who have symptoms should notify their supervisor and stay
home.
● Sick employees should follow CDC-recommended steps. Employees
should not return to work until the criteria to discontinue home isolation
are met, in consultation with healthcare providers.
● Employees who are well but who have been exposed to a confirmed or
presumptive COVID-19 case should notify their supervisor and follow
CDC recommended precautions.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html

14. VII. COVID-19 Exposure/Isolation/Disinfection
Policy
● If exposed to someone with a confirmed or presumptive case of COVID-19
○ Notify your supervisor
○ Follow CDC recommendations by self-isolating for 14 days
○ Monitor symptoms and perform temperature checks twice daily
● If an employee has an expected or confirmed case of COVID-19, HMS:
○ Will likely NOT need to shut down
○ Wait 24 hours before cleaning and disinfecting to minimize potential for other
employees being exposed to respiratory droplets. If not possible, HMS will
wait as long as possible
○ During this waiting period, outside windows and doors will be open

15. VII. COVID-19 Exposure/Isolation/Disinfection
Policy
● HMS will follow CDC cleaning and disinfecting:
○ Clean dirty surfaces with soap and water before disinfecting them
○ To disinfect surfaces, use the products that meet EPA criteria for use against
SARS-Cov-2
○ Always wear gloves and gown appropriate for chemicals being used when
cleaning and disinfecting
○ Additional PPE may need to be worn depending on the setting and
disinfectant product you are using
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html

16. Questions or Comments? Please fill out the form below:
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