Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Covid update

 

As you know, California requirements for the wearing of face masks in public were updated last week. This includes updates to standards established by CalOSHA which governs and regulates workplaces statewide. Those CalOSHA standards apply equally to paid staff and volunteers.

 

Please review the following summary of the key revisions in order to ensure you understand and can continue to comply the continuing COVID safety requirements.

 

What’s Not Changing?

  • Daily Health Screenings: All volunteers must check in with kennel staff at the beginning of their shift for a temperature check and health screening. Report any symptoms commonly associated with COVID that cannot be attributed to another condition or any known exposure to a confirmed COVID case, regardless of your vaccination status.

 

  • California’s Travel Quarantine: Volunteers who are not fully vaccinated prior to traveling out of state must quarantine at home for 10 days upon their return before returning to the shelter.

 

Physical Distancing

Physical distancing is no longer required, indoors or outdoors, regardless of vaccination status.

 

Important Mask Updates

  • Fully Vaccinated Volunteers:
    • Fully vaccinated is defined as two weeks after having received a second dose of either the Moderna or Phizer COVID vaccine, or two weeks after having received a single dose of the Johnson and Johnson COVID vaccine.
    • Once they have completed the vaccination attestation process (see below), fully vaccinated volunteers are not required to wear face coverings either indoors or outdoors.
    • Fully vaccinated volunteers may elect to continue wearing a face covering if they would like to do so.

 

  • Unvaccinated Volunteers:
    • Volunteers who are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear a face covering at all times while inside the Animal Services facility.
    • Employees who are not fully vaccinated do not have to wear a face covering outdoors but should wear a face covering in crowded outdoor settings or during activities that involve sustained close contact with other people who are not fully vaccinated.

 

  • Face coverings:
    • The definition for face covering has been updated to mean, “a surgical mask, a medical procedure mask, a respirator worn voluntarily, or a tightly woven fabric or non-woven material of at least two layers. A face covering has no visible holes or openings and must cover the nose and mouth. A face covering does not include a scarf, ski mask, buff, bandana, turtleneck, collar, or single layer of fabric.”
    • Upon request, Animal Services will provide respirators for voluntary use to all volunteers who are not fully vaccinated and who are working indoors. If you request a respirator, you will be provided with an N95 respirator of the correct size and provided training on how to ensure proper fitting and properly wear it. To request a respirator, please notify Volunteer Coordinator Kayla Cardoza before coming in to the shelter.
    • A respirator means, “a respiratory protection device approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to protect the wearer from particulate matter.”

 

  • Vaccination Attestation Process
    • Per Cal OSHA, “fully vaccinated” means the employer has documented that the person received, at least 14 days prior, either the second dose in a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series or a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine. If you are fully vaccinated, you must complete the self-attestation form prior to being exempt from the face covering.
    • A copy of the Attestation form is attached to this email. Please download and complete the form, following the directions provided. Once completed, you may turn your attestation form in to Volunteer Coordinator Kayla Cardoza or you may scan and email the form to hr@co.slo.ca.us.

 

For more information around face coverings, please refer to CDPH’s Face Coverings FAQs.

 

For more information around California’s Emergency Temporary Standards for workplace, please refer to Cal OSHA’s FAQs. Updates to the County’s COVID website resources are under way.

 

 If you did not receive my email with the form you can contact me and I will send it to you directly. 


No comments:

Post a Comment

Old lab

  We love him. Completely non-reactive when my little dog nipped him 3 times. Not deaf. Sweet AF. House broke. Gonna teach him how...