Protecting Yourself and Your Clients from Coronavirus (COVID-19)

IMPORTANT INFORMATION>>>

IHSS and WPCS Providers are considered essential workers and should continue to provide services to their recipients. If asked for proof, you can provide your pay stub or pay history in the Electronic Services Portal if needed. For more information visit here.

We know that Seniors, children, and people with chronic illnesses are some of the most at-risk during cold and flu season, so it makes sense that caregivers like us are especially worried about the recent coronavirus outbreak.

Thankfully, there are some fairly simple ways we can protect our clients and combat the spread of the illness – and the more we all know about the virus and how to protect ourselves and our clients, the safer we will be.

Here’s what you can do to protect against coronavirus:

https://youtu.be/1APwq1df6Mw

Based on the Governor’s recent announcement, older adults, individuals with compromised immune systems, and individuals who have serious chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease should take the following steps:

Remain at home until order is rescinded, or until further guidance is issued.
- Cancel any non-essential travel, appointments, etc.
- For routine medical care, contact your health care provider to discuss rescheduling.

Continue with outdoor activities.
- As long as you practice social distancing, we encourage you to continue your outdoor activities such as walks, runs and yardwork, to the extent your health allows it.

Practice social distancing.
- Maintain distance, at least six feet, between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid handshaking, hugging or other intimate types of greetings—greet others with a wave, nod or bow instead.
Stay in touch with others by phone or email.
- Ask friends and family to do any essential grocery shopping, picking up medications, etc.
- You should ask for help from friends, family, neighbors, community health workers, etc. if you become sick.
- Determine who can provide you with care if your caregiver gets sick.
Family and Caregiver Support
- Family, friends, and caregivers who come to your home to provide you with support should be asymptomatic, meaning having no fever, cough, or other respiratory symptoms.
- Know what medications your loved one or client is taking and see if you can help them have extra on hand.
- Monitor food and other medical supplies (oxygen, incontinence, dialysis, and wound care) needed and create a back-up plan.
- Stock up on non-perishable food items to have on hand in your home.
Have supplies on hand
- Contact your healthcare provider to ask about obtaining extra necessary medications to have on hand.
- If you cannot get extra medications, consider using mail-order for medications.
- Be sure you have over-the-counter medicines and medical supplies (tissues, etc.) to treat fever and other symptoms.
Have a plan for if you get sick:
- Consult with your health care provider for more information about monitoring your health for symptoms suggestive of COVID-19.
- Stay in touch with others by phone or email. You may need to ask for help from friends, family, neighbors, community health workers, etc. if you become sick.
- Watch for symptoms and emergency warning signs
  - Pay attention to potential COVID-19 symptoms including fever, cough and shortness of breath. If you develop symptoms, call your doctor or local public health department.
  - If you develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19, get medical attention immediately. In adults, emergency warning signs* include:
    - Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
    - Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
    - New confusion or inability to arouse
    - Bluish lips or face
    - *This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptom that is severe or concerning.

- Hand washing
  - Wash hands frequently for at least 20 seconds.
  - Encourage hand washing by family and friends, particularly children.
  - Provide alcohol based hand sanitizers to supplement hand washing.
  - Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
  - Clean frequently used devices, such as mobile phones.

- Clean and disinfect your home to remove germs: practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces (for example: tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets, sinks & cell phones) with common cleaning supplies

- See the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance regarding the prevention of disease in homes and residential communities.

Use “respiratory etiquette.”
- Cover cough with a tissue or sleeve. See CDC’s Cover Your Cough page for multilingual posters and flyers, posted at the bottom of webpage.
- Provide adequate supplies within easy reach, including tissues and no touch trash cans.

Ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19

Formas de prevenir la propagación de COVID-19

Cách phòng ngừa lây lan COVID-19