Pandemic Prevention Plan for TEA
What preventative measures are we taking to ensure we have the safest indoor and outdoor spaces possible?
Plan Disclaimer: This plan is a good faith effort, and in no way can a guarantee be made to any person(s) to eliminate risk of Covid-19 transmission. This plan follows Federal, State Mandates and County Guidelines, and its enforcement and supervision are subject to change as the situation develops.
IDENTIFIED PANDEMIC
Coronavirus (COVID-19) is an illness that makes people sick with flu-like symptoms. The illness spreads easily. People can catch coronavirus from others who have the virus. This happens when an infected person sneezes or coughs, sending tiny droplets into the air. These can land in the nose, mouth, or eyes of someone nearby, or they can be inhaled. People also get infected if they touch an infected droplet on a surface and then touch their own nose, mouth, or eyes.
Some signs of coronavirus are cough, fever and shortness of breath. Washing hands often with soap and water can help stop viruses like COVID-19 from spreading. Our students, faculty and staff may have onsite exposure to COVID-19, whether on campus or in the field (off site location). We have implemented this written plan to reduce our community’s risk of catching and spreading these infections and to respond in a timely manner when exposure incidents occur.
COVID-19 PANDEMIC EXPOSURE PLAN
Tahoe Expedition Academy has developed this plan to help prevent student, faculty and staff exposure to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The plan was created on 7/1/2020 and will be continually reviewed and updated. Our plan will be updated based on operational needs and/or safety and health agency updates.
DESIGNATION OF RESPONSIBILITY
Ken Martin, Finance & Operations Director 615-308-5017; kmartin@tahoeexpeditionacademy.org has the overall authority and responsibility for implementing this plan.
PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
Tahoe Expedition Academy will consider how best to decrease the effect of COVID-19 on its campus. Some of the key considerations when making decisions on prevention measures will include:
- Learn how the coronavirus has affected our community and communicate that with our community.
- Consider how the coronavirus can cause some people to become seriously sick.
- Prepare for a larger number of people not coming to school due to being sick or their family members being sick, schools closures, etc.
- Evaluate what job duties are necessary and how we will be able to continue them during the pandemic.
- Discuss and plan how we will respond in the event of an outbreak and ongoing changes.
- Considering flexible schedules, work hours and working from home to increase social distancing..
- Different ways to reduce the spread of germs among the community.
- Different ways to hold school related meetings and events.
- Reviewing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that can help reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
- https://www.fieldingintl.com/six-back-to-school-space-planning-dos-and-donts/
SUPERVISOR AND MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES
All supervisors and managers will be familiar with our plan. The plan includes how to recognize the coronavirus illness. What to do if an employee or student becomes sick. Preventing the spread of germs. Review and use of coronavirus personal protective equipment. Instructions on cleaning and disinfecting the campus.
Prevention measures will include:
- Knowing what coronavirus (COVID-19) is and how it spreads, and communicating that to employees, students and families.
- Use of a daily parent survey tool in ParentSquare for faculty, staff and students to flag potential increased risk of exposure off campus.
- Requiring sick employees and students to stay home.
- Sending employees and/or students with cough, fever and/or shortness of breath home immediately.
- Providing information and training to our community as identified in the training section of this plan.
- Keeping things clean that we touch on campus like equipment and furniture.
- Advising community members to check CDC’s Travelers Health Notices to travel.
WORKER AND STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
In order to minimize the spread of the virus in our community we are asking our workers and students to help with our prevention efforts while at work. Workers and families will review our plan. The plan includes how to recognize the coronavirus symptoms, what to do if someone becomes sick, practices to prevent the spread of germs including review and use of coronavirus personal protective equipment and instructions on cleaning and disinfecting the workplace.
If workers have any questions, please contact your supervisor directly. If parents have questions, please contact Taylor Simmers or Mara Morrison.
Prevention measures will include:
- Knowing what coronavirus (COVID-19) is and how it spreads.
- Staying home if you are sick and/or have cough, fever and shortness of breath.
- If you are infected with COVID-19 stay home and follow CDC’s guidelines.
- Information and training as identified in the training section of this plan.
- Keeping things clean at work like equipment and furniture.
- Checking the CDC’s Traveler’s Health Notices to travel.
CHECK IN PROCEDURES
- All faculty, staff and parents will be required to complete a daily health screen survey on Parent Square. If you answer “Yes” to any questions, then please do not come to school until after 48 hrs of no symptoms.
- Daily Temperature Checks @ Drop Off Stations.
ON CAMPUS PROTOCOLS
- Wear a Mask at all times, except when eating / drinking / taking breath breaks.
- Watch Your Distance. Please maintain 3 ft distance at all times.
- Wash Your Hands. Use designated bathrooms and/or hand sanitizer to regularly clean hands.
- Designated bathrooms for each grade level / crew.
COVID-19 ILLNESS AND PREVENTATIVE MEASURES
- Cough, fever, and shortness of breath may appear 2-14 days after exposure.
- Early symptoms may include chills, body pains, sore throat, headache, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, lack of appetite, runny nose, and loss of taste and smell. If you show any symptoms, contact your employer and DO NOT GO TO WORK. Stay home.
- Practice good hygiene. Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% ethyl alcohol or 70% isopropyl alcohol.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow. Throw used tissues in the trash and immediately wash hands.
INDOOR CLASSROOM SPACES
- We have limited numbers of students in indoor spaces to ensure social distancing of 3 ft can be met.
- See cleaning protocols.
- Seating arrangements have been planned and organized to ensure social distancing.
- Enhanced air filtration with MERV 13 filters for the modulars, ECE and Building Oneas well as these Air Filtration Units for Modulars, with more permanent air filtration units in the works for the ECE and Building One.
- Windows and doors will remain open, with a fan to provide even more air circulation
- Mask breaks will be provided any time a child needs one – we have paved areas outside that they can go to as needed
- Snacks and lunches will be eaten outdoors with ample spacing between students if the weather permits- it is VERY rare we would ever eat inside.
- Outdoor classrooms will be used frequently.
WORK CONTROL MEASURES
Physical Distancing is maintaining a six-foot distance from others and shall be practiced at all times.
- Access to our campus will be limited to only those necessary for work.
- Meetings/staff training shall be conducted virtually when possible.
- Enforce contact-free deliveries by establishing a location to receive packages away from high traffic areas.
Control Measures and Practices
- Temperature testing: TEA has touchless thermometers to test student temperature daily and staff temperatures. Staff whose temperature is above 100.4 degrees F should contact their manager immediately and return home.
- If someone is diagnosed, everyone should be notified of potential exposure, but they should not be told who is sick (ADA rule). Then we should follow current health department guidance on cleaning/disinfecting and quarantine. The sick individual can return based on health professional guidance. Currently, that means 72 hours since recovery (resolution of fever without fever-reducing medicine) AND 10 days since symptoms first appeared. Current guidance on whether exposed people need to quarantine is if there was “close contact for a prolonged period of time”. Current guidance about closing facilities=> not necessarily close, but clean & disinfect. Increase ventilation. People without close contact can return immediately after disinfection.
- Use a mask whenever indoors and outside whenever social distancing is not possible, at a minimum.
- Washing hands / Hygiene: Washing hands thoroughly and frequently is one of the most important defenses to Covid-19. Wash hands / use hand sanitizer upon campus arrival and frequently throughout the day. Hand sanitizer is not to replace washing hands, but to supplement when washing hands is not possible. Proper hand washing and glove removal
- Post signage regarding hand washing, social distancing, cleaning, and disinfecting, throughout the workplace.
- Pre-screen with Daily Health Screening Survey for all students and all visitors to ensure they are not exhibiting symptoms.
- Ask all personnel (parents, employees, contractors, and visitors) to leave the workplace and return home if they are showing symptoms.
- Provide training on personal protective equipment (PPE) to address pandemic exposure.
- Communicate your response plan with other business partners
- Do not share tools, water bottles, PPE or any other equipment with your co-workers.
- Avoid using other employees’ phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment, when possible.
PERSONNEL
- Risk Mitigation Team: Brain Collier, Dennis Griffiths, Ken Martin, Taylor Simmers, Eric Martin, Dr. John Swanson (TEA Medical Advisor)
- Full Time Custodian and Operations Personnel will perform daily cleaning duties of high touch surfaces, with deep clean twice per week for indoor spaces.
- Check In / Check Out Teams have been assigned to coordinate
- On Campus Medical Personnel are in place for addressing first aid needs
- Michael Schrantz, Environmental Analytics, serving as expert for our Risk Mitigation Team.
FACILITIES INFORMATION
- PPE worn by staff and students at all times while indoors.
- Upgraded the air filters for the ECE, Building One and Modulars with MERV 13.
- For Building One, the ECE and the modulars, there is sufficient air circulation and will be ventilated by opening doors and windows to increase air flow.
- High End Air Filtration Units will be purchased and installed in each room for the ECE, Building One, 6 Learning Cottages and Modulars. The product we have chosen comes recommended from our Environmental Air Quality expert. IQAir HealthPro Plus https://www.iqair.com/us/room-air-purifiers/healthpro-series. Our environmental consultant conducted a podcast with the CEO of this company for reference. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXlmQOMNKU8&feature=youtu.be These units are programmable(time/speed) and do have “Hyper HEPA” which offers superior air filtration. It also has a V5 Cell which can help remove odors.
- Decluttering indoor spaces. The fewer surfaces there are in an indoor space, typically the better the indoor air quality can be. Place a special focus on minimizing porous items.
- Optimized seating/work locations, to put staff and students in areas with the best air quality near windows and doors. This may vary depending on whether the building is closed up, opened up (fully or partially).
- Hand sanitizing when transitioning between activities following CDC guidelines.
CLEANING AND DISINFECTING PROCEDURES
- Full time custodian to conduct deep cleaning every other day and, along with operations team, clean high touch surfaces daily
- Use products that meet EPA’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, and are appropriate for the surface.
- We have increased cleaning using Nixall, which is safe for everyday use and will continue to follow CDC guidelines: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/reopen-guidance.html
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces such as workstations, keyboards, telephones, handrails, and doorknobs.
- Clean shared spaces such as break/lunchrooms after use but no less than once per day.
- Clean and disinfect restrooms regularly.
- Ensure hand washing supplies in restrooms are fully stocked.
- Trash must be removed frequently by someone wearing disposable gloves.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
- Select PPE based on function, fit, and availability.
- Explain to all employees when and why PPE is necessary.
- Train employees on the proper procedure for putting on and removing PPE.
- Employees required to wear a respirator in the workplace (N95, ½-face elastomeric APR, etc.) must abide by the Respiratory Protection Program.
- Face masks, such as surgical masks and homemade masks/face coverings, are not respirators and do not fall under the Respiratory Protection Program.
RESOURCES
EPA:
CDC:
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html
- https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/environmental/background/air.html
ASHRAE