BUILDING USE GUIDELINES FOR ALL STAFF
as of September 2021

SELF-SCREENING

Prior to entering the building each day, please self-screen for the following symptoms: fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches, body aches, headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

DISQUALIFICATIONS

The following circumstances constitute disqualification for entry in the building:

  • The presence of any of the symptoms listed in the self-screening above in the past 48 hours.
  • Non-compliance with the current Massachusetts Travel Order.
  • Advised by a government official or a healthcare practitioner to self-isolate or quarantine due to exposure or potential exposure to COVID-19 in the past 7 days.
  • A positive test for COVID-19 or notification of a probable COVID-19 infection by a government official or healthcare practitioner in the past 10 days with no symptoms.
  • If not fully vaccinated: close contact (defined by the CDC as 6-feet or closer for a cumulative total of 15 minutes within a 24-hour period) with a person who is known to have tested positive for COVID-19 or with anyone who has any symptoms consistent with COVID-19 within the past 7-14 days.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms or if you have been exposed to someone with a case of COVID19, please contact your manager and Human Resources.

EXPOSURE REQUIREMENTS

What if I’m exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19?

If you are vaccinated:

People who are fully vaccinated do NOT need to quarantine after contact with someone who had COVID-19 unless they have symptoms.  However, fully vaccinated people should get tested 3-5 days after their exposure, even if they don’t have symptoms and wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until their test result is negative.  Masks are required while in the Center.

If you are not vaccinated:

The possible incubation period for COVID-19 is still 14 days although the majority of cases have incubation periods of fewer than 10 days. You will need to remain quarantined consistent with one of the quarantine options below:

Options Criteria Active Monitoring
7 days of strict quarantine Release on Day 8 if:

·         A test (either PCR or Abbott BinaxNOW antigen) taken on Day 5 or later is negative; AND

·         The individual has not experienced any symptoms up to that point; AND

·         The individual conducts active monitoring through Day 14.

 Individual must actively monitor symptoms and take temperature once daily. IF even mild symptoms develop or the individual has a temperature of 100.0 F, they must immediately self-isolate, contact the public health authority overseeing their quarantine and get tested.
10 days of strict quarantine Release on Day 11 if:

·         The individual has not experienced any symptoms up to that point; AND

·         The individual conducts active monitoring through Day 14.

·         No test is necessary under this option.

 Individual must actively monitor symptoms and take temperature once daily. IF even mild symptoms develop or the individual has a temperature of 100.0 F, they must immediately self-isolate, contact the public health authority overseeing their quarantine and get tested.
14 days of strict quarantine Release on Day 15 if:

·         The individual has experienced ANY symptoms during the quarantine period EVEN if they have a negative COVID-19 test; OR

·         The individual indicates they are unwilling or unable to conduct active monitoring.

 No additional active monitoring required.

MASKS

Masks must be worn in the building at all times with the only exception being when a person is in an office alone with the door closed. Masks must fit securely around the face and cover the nose and mouth. Staff members and visitors are responsible for providing their own masks and should come prepared with a back-up mask if needed. In emergency situations, The Center will provide staff or visitors with surgical masks upon request. Surgical masks are available at all entrances for this purpose.

BUILDING AND OFFICE USE 

When using an office, the door must remain closed. When sharing your office, you must wear your mask at all times.

CLEANING & CLEANING SUPPLIES

Hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes will be provided in all offices. After using office space that is assigned to multiple people, please wipe down high touch surfaces with disinfectant wipes prior to leaving the office.  If cleaning supplies need replacement, please notify a member of the administrative team.

 HAND WASHING

All persons are encouraged to use hand sanitizer upon entry to the building to reduce the transmission of contagious illness. Hand sanitizer will be supplied at entrances for this purpose.

CLIENT VISITS

  • Check Ins – All clients must check-in with an administrative staff member at reception upon arrival. Clients are encouraged to sanitize their hands upon entry to the Center.

 

  • Client Screening – All clients will be screened when they arrive at reception.

 

  • Visit Attendees – Clients are discouraged from bringing additional attendees to the Center unless it is clinically necessary or other extenuating circumstances.

 

  • In-Person Policies – Clients are required to wear masks that fit securely to the face and cover the mouth and nose for the entirety of the visit. Due to this requirement, no eating or drinking is permitted during in-person sessions. Social distancing of at least six feet must be maintained at all times during in-person visits. If prescriber visits require medical procedures that dictate close contact, contact is to be minimized as much as possible.

 

  • Check Outs – Clients are required to exit the building immediately following a visit. Clinicians/staff must escort a client to the exit.

COMMUNITY VISITS 

All Center COVID-19 client visit guidelines apply to ALL client visits, including those conducted outdoors and at other community locations.  Any Brookline staff or clinician who is doing visits in the community is required to contact client before the visit and conduct COVID screening by asking the following questions:

Pre-Appointment COVID Screening Checklist

Telephone Screening prior to appointment – Outdoor appointments require full screening

In order to keep you, your family and our staff safe, I am going to ask you some questions.

  1. Do you have a fever 99.9 or higher? Yes ______ No ______
  2. Do you have any of the following symptoms?
  • New onset of cough Yes ______ No ______
  • Shortness of Breath Yes ______ No ______
  • Respiratory illness (pneumonia) Yes ______ No ______
  • Sore Throat Yes ______ No ______
  • Muscle Pain Yes ______ No ______
  • Chills Yes ______ No ______
  • New Onset loss of taste or smell Yes ______ No ______
  • Fatigue Yes ______ No ______
  • Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea Yes ______ No ______
  1. Has anyone in your immediate household been identified as a “close contact” by a school system, employer, local board of health, Department of Public Health, other? Yes ______ No ______
  2. Has anyone in your immediate household been exhibiting any of the COVID-19 symptoms mentioned on this form? Yes ______ No ______
  3. Have you had close contact with an individual who is positive for COVID-19? Yes ______ No ______

If the client answers yes to any of the above questions, the clinician instructs them to reschedule their on-site appointment unless the client is willing to switch to telehealth.

  1. Have you traveled outside of Massachusetts in the last 14 days? Yes ______ No ________

If client answers yes, please refer to Travel Advisory below.

Staff doing visits in the community should use required PPE (surgical masks).

TRAVEL ADVISORY

Domestic Travel

Individuals returning from domestic travel are advised to quarantine for 10 days upon their arrival.  Travelers in the following categories are exempt from this quarantine advisory:

  • Travelers who are fully vaccinated (i.e. who have received two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines OR who have received a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, 14 days or more ago) and who do not have symptoms.
  • Travelers who have received a negative COVID-19 result on a test administered not more than 72 hours prior to their arrival in Massachusetts.  Travelers may also test out of the quarantine advisory after arrival in Massachusetts, as long as they quarantine until receiving a negative test result.
  • Anyone who is entering Massachusetts for fewer than 24 hours
  • Anyone who is returning to Massachusetts after being out of the State for fewer than 24 hours
  • Workers who enter Massachusetts to perform critical infrastructure functions (as specified bythe Federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) during required commuting to or from work and while at work.

International Travel

  • Before arriving in the United States:
    • All air passengers coming to the United States, including U.S. citizens and fully vaccinated people, are required to have a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 3 days before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months before they board a flight to the United States.
  • After travel – Fully Vaccinated Individuals:
    • Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel.
    • Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.
    • Follow all state and local recommendations or requirements after travel.
  • After travel – Not Fully Vaccinated Individuals:
    • Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel AND stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel.
      • Even if you test negative, stay home and self-quarantine for the full 7 days.
      • If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.
    • If you don’t get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.
    • Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not.
    • Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.
    • Follow all state and local recommendations or requirements.