While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated face mask requirements for the general public, those updates do not pertain to healthcare workers. Until the Pennsylvania Department of Health updates its healthcare worker guidelines, employees in resident buildings are still required to wear PPE at all times. This includes:
- Face mask and face shield.
- N95 or P100, face shield and safety glasses (or goggles), isolation gown, and gloves when you are with a resident who is suspected of having COVID.
Safety Committees conduct PPE observations at all VCS locations and have noticed many employees not in full compliance with our PPE requirements.
The COVID-19 virus is evolving, and several variants now plague different parts of the world – even the U.S. There are even a few instances of “breakthrough infections,” which occur when a vaccinated individual acquires the illness. Fortunately, this is a rare, but we must remain vigilant.
When the guidelines are updated and our policy changes, we will let you know. In the meantime, follow the guidelines for each zone: green, yellow, or red.