Covid-19 Pandemic Policy

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People with dementia or a learning disability, autistic people, and people experiencing serious mental ill health are likely to experience particular difficulties during the pandemic. This could include difficulty in understanding and following advice on social distancing, and increased anxiety. They may need additional support to recognise and respond to symptoms quickly, and in some cases may be at greater risk of developing serious illness from COVID19.

 

In cases where any of our clients are discharged from hospital within the 14-day period from the onset of COVID-19 symptoms they will continue with self-isolation with support from our staff members.  Staff members will be trained using MOH guidelines, on how to care for clients who are confirmed COVID-19 cases(Or who are suspected to be infected with the disease). This may include referral to Covid-19Test Centers. In cases where it is not possible to care for clients in their own homes due to Covid-19, we will refer them to local authority for alternative appropriate accommodation.

 

Infection Control and Prevention

 

Connexions Agency believes that general adherence to high standards of infection prevention and control is the best way to prevent the person-to-person spread of pathogens such as coronavirus and maximise the safely of staff, service users and their families. To achieve this our control policies and procedures will be implemented in full, particularly those related to effective hand hygiene, sanitisation and environmental cleaning.

Care managers and supervisory staff should make sure that people:

• cover their mouth and nose with a tissue or their sleeve (not their hands) when they cough or sneeze

• put used tissues in the bin immediately

• wash their hands with soap and water often and use hand sanitiser gel

• try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell

• avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands

• clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

ervice Users

If a person is in self-isolation PHE advice is that domiciliary care organisations should ascertain if they are asymptomatic or symptomatic prior to a visit. If they are self-isolating and a visit is deemed necessary, then a full risk assessment should be undertaken with managers and a local infection control specialist to decide the best course of action.

 

If the person is asymptomatic, PHE state that there is no reason to change the organisations normal approach to care — people who are self-isolating and have no symptoms do not pose a risk to others. If the person is symptomatic staff should avoid any further physical contact with them and ask them to call NHS 111 — in such cases the Manager should be informed immediately. If the person is critically ill and requires an urgent medical attention an ambulance should be called and the ambulance call handler informed of the potential links to COVID-19.

 

If after assessment a service user has a positive test for COVI-19 then a contact tracing exercise will be undertaken by the local health protection team. In such cases, the organisation will be advised on any further actions depending on staff exposure to the person concerned.