03/06/2020
Dear All New Haven In-Home Care Employees:
Given the increased attention about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus also referred to as COVID-19, we want to assure you that we are actively evaluating all business-related risks posed by this emerging and evolving public health situation. At this time, we are unaware of any company personnel being infected with the COVID-19 virus. We are and will monitor employee travel to affected areas and, if or when we deem it necessary, we will implement social distancing practices.
If you have concerns about 2019 Novel Coronavirus, we urge you to review FAQs developed and published by the US Centers for Disease Control: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html; the Department of Industrial Relations: https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/Coronavirus-info.html; and other information that has been published by public health agencies. At this time the CDC has issued a Level 3 Travel Warning for China, Iran, South Korea and Italy and a Level 2 Travel Warning for Japan. If you
(1) have been to these areas in the past 14 days;
(2) have had close contact with someone who has been to these areas in the past 14 days; or
(3) have had close contact with a person confirmed to have, or being evaluated for, COVID-19 infection,
please stay home and call us in 14 days to discuss appropriate measures to protect yourself and others. As always, information about employees’ health conditions is treated confidentially.
The virus causing the 2019 novel Coronavirus/COVID-19 is not the same as viruses that are common and cause mild illnesses, like the common cold. As a reminder, we are in seasonal flu season which currently appears to pose significant risks to Americans. If you have not received a flu shot and it is not medically contraindicated for you, we urge you to be vaccinated. Among other things, being vaccinated from seasonal flu can assist health care providers in assessing whether symptoms of illness may be associated with other illnesses including COVID-19. As always, please also take everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
To make it easy for all of us to practice these common-sense, but important guidelines, hand sanitizer and tissues are available in multiple locations throughout the office including masks. Disinfecting wipes are also available for your use on commonly touched surfaces such as doorknobs and other surfaces. We have also asked our cleaning staff to use a disinfectant on commonly touched surfaces as part of their daily cleaning routine.
We encourage all employees who are experiencing symptoms of the flu or acute respiratory disease, such as fever and coughing, to please stay home and take care of yourself until you are well. Employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are asked to stay home and not come to work until they are free of fever (100.4° F [37.8° C] or greater using an oral thermometer), signs of a fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g. cough suppressants).
If you have concerns or questions, please let Estela McCovey, Operations Manager and Alma Pingul, HR and Supervisor know by calling (650) 756-3600 for Daly City Office and Maria Lopez, Home Care Coordinator for Walnut Creek office by calling (925) 596-8475. New Haven In-Home Care Inc. will conduct a comprehensive informational in-service how to protect ourselves and the agency policies implemented to protect employees from pandemic.
Close contact is defined by the CDC as being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of a COVID-19 case for a prolonged period of time; close contact can occur while caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a health care waiting area or room with a COVID-19 case – or – b) having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case (e.g., being coughed on).
Sincerely,
Eunice Bejar-Lee, RN
Administrator
New Haven In-Home Care Inc.
“A Professional Caregiver Provider”
Daly City Office
333 Gellert Blvd Suite 227
Daly City CA 94015
INFO: www.newhaveninhomecare.com
CONTACT
PHONE:
650-756-3500 (office)
650-756-3501 (fax)
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a virus (more specifically, a coronavirus) identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China.
