COVID-19

UPDATED 2020-06-10:

COVID-19 SAFETY PLAN

 A Return to In-Clinic Therapy

 We couldn’t be more excited at the clinic’s reopening. We have anticipated this day for weeks. We have missed our friends!

As per the safety guidelines set by the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO), the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO), the Ontario Ministry of Health and Safe At Work Ontario, all clients must 1) complete a COVID-19 self-assessment survey and 2) understand the safety protocols implemented at our office prior to their therapy session. These protocols were developed with the goal of reducing the risk of exposure to the virus that causes Covid-19 for the clients and therapists within our clinic. The Protocols will be updated as needed.

For up to date information about Covid-19 please visit the following resources:

Government of Canada

Ontario Ministry of Health

Public Health Ontario

Information Specific to clients attending In-Clinic Therapy:

  1. Self-Assessment for Symptoms of Covid-19: For Clients & Therapists, Pre-Screening
  2. Waiting Area / Entry into Clinic Space
  3. Within the Treatment Room
  4. Informed Consent
  5. Maintaining Physical Distance
  6. Cleaning and Hygiene
  7. Hand Washing
  8. Surface Cleaning
  9. Toy Cleaning
  10. Rules and Guidelines
  11. Using Masks
  12. Resources for Working from Home
  13. Illnesses
  14. Other

 

  1. Self-Assessment for Symptoms of Covid-19: For Clients & Therapists,Pre-Screening
  • All of our therapists have committed to using the COVID-19 Self-Assessment tool daily and to cancel all appointments if any symptoms appear.
  • Symptoms of Covid-19 are similar to other respiratory illnesses and seasonal allergies. An appointment must be cancelled immediately if either the client or the therapist presents with even mild symptoms that may be signs of Covid-19, including: Fever, Cough, Chills, Shortness of Breath, Sore Throat or Pain with Swallowing, Stuffy or Runny Nose, Loss of Sense of Smell, Headache, Muscle aches, Fatigue and Loss of Appetite. As always, cancellation fees will not be charged for any cancellation due to illness.
  • Clients must confirm that they have not been in contact with anyone displaying illness, or signs and symptoms of Covid-19 within 14 days prior to their treatment.
  • Clients must confirm that they have not travelled outside Ontario within 14 days prior to their appointment.
  • Clients with higher risk profiles and/or weakened immune systems should consider alternatives for care and postpone treatment.

 

  1. Waiting Area / Entry into Clinic Space
  • Clients are asked to arrive on time for appointments.
  • Upon your arrival your SLP/OT will meet you in the waiting room and complete the COVID-19 health screening.  The treatment will be cancelled immediately if you do not meet the pre-screening criteria upon physical presentation at the clinic. If you meet the pre-screening criteria, you will be directed to the bathroom, where you must wash your hands with soap and water before entering the therapy room.
  • Non-medical masks are mandatory* in the office for clients and family members.  If you have a mask please bring it with you.  If you do not have a mask, one can be purchased for $5 (all proceeds from this purchase will be donated to Hope for People, supporting an orphanage and school in Thomazeau, Haiti).  Your mask will be worn when entering the clinic and during you or your child’s therapy session.

 

* School aged children are expected to wear masks into the clinic, if they are tolerated, and they may be asked to remove them during assessment and/or therapy by the Speech Pathologist.  Preschool children are not required to wear masks.

  • For your safety, your therapist will wear a face shield.  This will allow for your child to see the therapist’s mouth.  In some circumstances, your SLP/OT may choose to also wear a mask.
  • Appointment times are staggered as much as possible to reduce the potential of clients and therapists crossing paths, and to allow for time in between appointments for enhanced cleaning.

 

  1. Within the Treatment Room
  • Everything in the therapy room will be thoroughly disinfected before each therapy session; the table(s), chairs, door handles, will be sprayed with a government-approved COVID-19 disinfectant.
  • Absolutely no food, drink, toys, clothing, hats. Please leave these items at home or in your vehicle (as applicable).
  • Receipts for your therapy session will be emailed as soon as possible after payment is processed.  At this time, we would ask that you pay by e-transfer to jon@letstalkguelph.ca or via a credit card placed on file in Jane, our electronic health record system.
  • When the therapy session has ended your therapist will open the door and escort you to the bathroom where you can wash / sanitize your hands prior to leaving.

 

  1. Informed Consent

In the current environment of Covid-19 risk, informed consent requires that the client be informed and understands that:

  • Any in-person Speech and Language / Occupational therapy treatment involves some risk of COVID-19 transmission;
  • The therapist is following protocol to help reduce or mitigate risk where possible, but that risk cannot be reduced to zero;
  • The client consents to the treatment despite some risk;
  • The therapist will document the patient’s consent in advance at every treatment.

Your informed consent will be collected each time you complete the COVID-19 Survey.

 

  1. Maintaining Physical Distance

Occupancy Limits

We have established and posted the following occupancy limits:

Waiting Room: 4 family units (2 chairs per unit)

Therapy rooms: 3 people (Therapist, Client & 1 Guardian)

In order to reduce the number of people at the clinic, we have outlined work-from-home arrangements, virtual meetings, and are limiting the number of clients in the clinic.  We have also implemented measures to keep workers and others at least 2 metres apart, whenever possible.

  • Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) and Occupational Therapists (OTs) will work remotely when possible and if appropriate for a client.
  • Meetings are conducted virtually, to the extent that this is possible.

 

  1. Cleaning and Hygiene
  • We have reviewed available information on cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.
  • Our workplace has enough hand washing facilities on site for all of our clinicians.  Hand washing locations are visible and easily accessible.
  • We have policies that specify when staff must wash their hands and we have communicated best hygiene practices to our team. Frequent hand washing and good hygiene practices are essential to reduce the spread of the virus.
  • We have implemented cleaning protocols for all common areas and surfaces — e.g., tools, equipment, shared tables, desks, light switches, and door handles. This includes the frequency that these items must be cleaned (number of times per day) as well as the timing.
  • Workers who are cleaning have adequate training and materials.
  • We will maintain a minimum 2-week supply of plain soap, paper towels, hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, and masks, whenever possible.
  • Our workplace will clean and disinfect frequently-touched surfaces at least twice a day (e.g. workstations, cell phones, door knobs, etc.)
  • While our clinic has washroom facilities, we ask that you please use the washroom in your own home prior to coming in for your session.

 

  1. Hand Washing

Rigorous hand hygiene with plain soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) is the most effective way to reduce the spread of illness. Both staff and patients/clients can pick up and spread germs easily, from objects, surfaces, food and people. Everyone should practice proper hand hygiene:

  • Wash hands with plain soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Antibacterial soap is not required.
  • If sinks are not available, use alcohol-based hand rub containing at least 70% alcohol.
  • If hands are visibly soiled, alcohol-based hand rub may not be effective at eliminating respiratory viruses. Soap and water are preferred when hands are visibly dirty.
  • To learn more about hand hygiene, please refer to ipac’s Hand Hygiene
  • Clinicians and office staff must wash their hands upon arriving for work, prior to each client session, after each client session, before and after breaks, after handling cash or cheques, before and after handling common tools and equipment (e.g. iPads, computers, toys).
  • Clients and clients’ family members must wash their hands before and after each session.

 

  1. Surface Cleaning

All high touch surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected between clients. High touch surfaces include, but are not limited to: door handles, table surfaces & chairs.

 

  1. Toy Cleaning

All toys and therapy materials will be cleaned and disinfected between clients.

 

  1. Rules and Guidelines

We have identified rules and guidelines for how workers should conduct themselves.

We have clearly communicated these rules and guidelines through meetings and signage.

Rules

  • Clinicians and staff will follow the guidelines for cleaning and hygiene as outlined above.
  • Clinicians and staff shall wear Face Shields or face masks at all times while with a client.
  • Clinicians and staff shall cough or sneeze into their elbow sleeve or a tissue.
  • Clinicians and staff shall throw away used tissues and immediately perform hand hygiene.
  • Clinicians and staff shall refrain from touching their eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands
  • Clinicians and staff shall refrain from sharing any food, drinks, unwashed utensils, etc.

 

  1. Using Masks
  • We have reviewed available information on selecting and using masks and instructions on how to use a mask.

https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/ncov/factsheet/factsheet-covid-19-how-to-wear-mask.pdf?la=en

  • We understand the limitations of masks to protect the wearer from respiratory droplets.  We understand that masks should only be considered when other control measures cannot be implemented.
  • We have trained workers in the proper use of masks.
  • Face Shields (and the option to wear masks) will be worn any time a clinician is in the vicinity of a client or other people in the clinic.
  • The clinic director will wear a mask when he is in the vicinity of any clients or clinicians.

 

  1. Resources for Working from Home

https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/telework.html

 

  1. Illnesses

Our illness policy addresses workers who may start to feel ill at work. It includes the following:

  • Sick workers should go home immediately upon having any symptoms, even mild symptoms.
  • If the worker is severely ill (e.g., difficulty breathing, chest pain), call 911.
  • We will clean and disinfect any surfaces with which the ill worker has come into contact.
  • All Clinicians and office staff who have symptoms of COVID-19 OR travelled outside Ontario in the last 14 days OR were identified as a close contact of a confirmed case must stay home and self-isolate.
  • Clinicians and office staff must assess themselves daily for symptoms of common cold, influenza, or COVID-19 prior to entering the clinic.
  • Those unsure of if they should self-isolate should be directed to use the Ontario COVID-19 self-assessment: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/
  • If concerned, they are advised to contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 or the local public health unit to seek further input.

 

  1. Other
  • Our workplace policies ensure that workers and others showing symptoms of COVID-19 are prohibited from the workplace.
  • We will ensure alcohol-based hand sanitizer (with at least 70% alcohol) is available at multiple locations within the clinic.
  • We will limit use of shared items by clients (e.g. pens, clipboards).
  • We have removed difficult to clean items (e.g. toys) from the waiting area.
  • We provide disposable tissues and no-touch waste receptacles in both our waiting area and our therapy rooms.
  • We have displayed PPE donning and doffing instructions in locations available to all clinicians and staff.
  • We have emptied therapy rooms of as many extraneous items as possible.
  • We will advise clients and accompanying essential visitors to practice diligent hand hygiene and cough etiquette.
  • We have informed all clinicians and office staff of the current cleaning and disinfection guidelines, including approved cleaning products.
  • We will make changes to our policies and procedures as necessary.
  • Our team is aware of the procedure for reporting health and safety concerns.
  • We have a training plan for new staff
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