In order to support team members and clients (children and families) during the COVID-19 pandemic, below policies are developed pursuant to the emergency declared in Ontario on March 17, 2020 and updated as needed as per CDC and Public Health and Province guidelines.

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Screening (both team members and clients)

• Mandatory daily screening as per Public Health screening checklist criteria is required for both team members and children prior to enter Centre
• Pick-up and drop-off of children should happen outside the Centre unless it is determined that there is a need for the parent/guardian to enter the setting.

Direct-sessions (with clients)

Ensure all current infection prevention and control practices are adhered to, this includes but is not limited to:

• A minimum of 6 feet/ 2 meters must be maintained from another therapist (s) and children at all times.
• Encourage more physical space between children by:
  • Spreading children out into different areas;
  • Staggering, or alternating, lunchtime and outdoor playtime; and,
  • Incorporating more individual activities or activities that encourage more space between children
• Designated therapy room
  • Therapy must take place at the assigned therapy area/ room except necessary daily routines, i.e. washroom, refill the water bottle.
• Designed washroom stall
  • All children must only use their assigned washroom stall to minimize contact and shared facilities
• Protective equipment (faceshields, face masks, gloves, hand sanitizer) are provided for all team members to use. Faceshield is mandatory to be used by team members during sessions.
• ONLY toys made of a material that can be cleaned and disinfected to be used at the Centre are (e.g. avoid plush toys, playdough)
• Frequent cleaning and disinfecting objects, toys and frequently touched surfaces throughout the day
• Performing proper hand hygiene every half hour with children.
• NO sharing on any personal items (i.e., cups, facecloths, clothes, etc.) Label these items with the child’s name to discourage accidental sharing.
• NO food sharing policies
• NO stationary sharing
• NO close contact group-based programs

Pre and Post sessions

• Specific disinfection protocol and schedule on all individual and shared areas (i.e., entrance) are followed daily 

Management of COVID-19 cases

Management of COVID-19 symptomatic children and staff

• Children and staff must stay home if they: 
• have any symptoms of respiratory illness, at all severity and contact Public Health and your medical practitioner.
• have been told to self-isolate by Public Health or a medical practitioner.
• have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
• have recently returned from travel that requires a period of self-isolation. 

Children

• Children experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness, even if mild, should stay home.
• In cases where a child develops symptoms of COVID-19 during in-Centre time, the therapist must notify the Director and/or on-site supervisor immediately. The Centre will contact the child’s parent or caregiver to pick up the child immediately and encourage the parent or caregiver to bring the child to the nearest COVID-19 Assessment Centre if possible.
• The child will be isolated in a prearranged room until a parent/guardian arrives to pick them up. During this time:
  • If tolerated, the child should also wear a surgical/procedural mask
  • anyone providing care to the child should maintain as much physical distance as possible
  • the staff person caring for the child should wear a surgical/procedural mask and eye protection
  • hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette should be practiced while the child is waiting to be picked up
  • cleaning of the isolation room area and other areas of the Centre where the child was should be conducted as soon as reasonably possible after the ill individual leaves
• The child must not return to the Centre while waiting for test results (if testing for COVID-19 is conducted).
• The child must not return to the Centre until a period of 48 hours without symptoms of COVID-19 has passed.

Staff (collectively as employees, contractors, consultants)

• Any staff experiencing COVID-19 symptoms shall remain home/not enter the Centre, pending results of a COVID-19 test which they are encouraged to do immediately and share the results with the Director as soon as results are known.
  • In cases where a staff develops symptoms of COVID-19 during in-Centre time, the staff must go home and seek council from a medical practitioner immediately and encouraged to go to the nearest COVID-19 Assessment Centre if possible.
  • The staff must not return to work and follow isolation guidelines as per Public Health while waiting for test results (if testing for COVID-19 is conducted).
  • The staff must not return to work until a period of 48 hours without symptoms of COVID-19 has passed.
• Regular Centre functions can continue unless directed otherwise by the local Public Health unit.

Management of Exposure to COVID-19 Outside of the centre

• Situations will arise where children or staff may be exposed to COVID-19 outside of the Centre environment (for example, to family members that are not attending the Centre, social contacts outside of the Centre).
• Any individual (including children, staff, contractors, visitors, parents, guardians) who had contact with another person with a confirmed case of COVID-19 must notify the Centre or Director immediately and remain home.
• The individual should contact a medical practitioner and visit the nearest COVID-19 Assessment Centre if possible.
• The individual must stay home or until COVID-19 testing result is back or they are cleared by their local Public Health Unit or health care provider before returning to work or therapy.

Management of Confirmed COVID-19 Case in the Centre

• Any individual who tests positive for COVID-19 must notify the Centre or Director immediately.
• The Centre will notify the local Public Health unit immediately.
• Any individual who tests positive for COVID-19 must not attend the Centre until they are cleared by their local Public Health Unit or health care provider.
• Any individuals who test positive must remain in isolation for 14 days. Retesting is not recommended and will not alter this 14-day isolation requirement.
• Every individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 is contacted by their local Public Health Unit for further follow-up.
• Children and staff affiliated with the affected cohort or had contact with the confirmed case individual are considered at high risk of exposure and will be notified without disclosure of the confirmed case individual’s identity.
• All children and staff determined to be at high risk of exposure will be directed to isolate and recommended to be tested (voluntary testing) within their isolation period.
• Negative test results do not change the requirement for isolation nor do they shorten the isolation period for close contacts.
• The entry will be closed immediately for a Centre-wide disinfection procedure. The length of closure will be determined by the local Public Health unit depending on the risk of the confirmed case.

• If the local Public Health unit advises that a session, cohort or Centre should be closed for any period of time, parents, students, and staff will be notified immediately.

• Notice of any closures of sessions, cohorts, or Centre will be emailed to all families and staff immediately should that occur.

Full Covid19 Health And Safety Policies is available upon request if your child is attending Aspiration or going to start service at Aspiration.