COVID-19 PROCEDURES

Jocelyn Cares Domiciliary Agency will ensure that staff, when not at work, follow the WHO and Public Health England advice to reduce the risk of contracting the virus and the risk of spreading it. They must also supp ort Service Users to follow the government requirements and remind them that failure to follow this can result in a fine. The following procedures must be followed;

You can only leave your home:

• To shop for basic essentials – only when you really need to

• To do one form of exercise a day – such as a run, walk or cycle, alone or with other people you live with

• For any medical need – for example, to visit a pharmacy or deliver essential supplies to a vulnerable person

• To travel to and from work – but only where this is absolutely necessary Further measures:

• Wash your hands regularly and properly for at least 20 seconds (2 verses of Happy Birthday) by using soap and running water

• Use hand sanitiser when it is not possible to wash hands with soap and water. Hand sanitiser must contain 60% alcohol to be effective

• Maintain at least 2 metres (6 foot) distance between yourself and anyone. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease

• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick

• Practice respiratory hygiene. Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you do not have a tissue, use your sleeve. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately and wash your hands, or use hand sanitiser if you do not have immediate access to soap and running water. Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19

lIf you have a fever (37.8 degrees, a new/persistent cough) you must self isolate for 7 days. The NHS advice must be followed below;

• If you have symptoms of coronavirus infection (COVID-19), however mild, stay at home and do not leave your house for 7 days from when your symptoms started

• If you live with someone who has symptoms, you will need to stay at home for 14 days from the day their symptoms started. This is because it can take 14 days for symptoms to appear

• If more than 1 person at home has symptoms, stay at home for 14 days from the day the first person started having symptoms

• If you get symptoms, stay at home for 7 days from when your symptoms start, even if it means you are at home for longer than 14 days

• If you do not get symptoms, you can stop staying at home after 14 days