Social Shelters Protocols

Social Shelters Protocols

(With the Exception of Nursing Homes)

Hygiene and health:

• Must ensure the availability of hand soap in the restrooms and hand sanitizers near the washbasins and entrances to the restrooms (sodium hypochlorite and alcohol disinfectants) and use them according to the recommended methods and store them in a safe place.
• It is necessary to adhere to regular environmental disinfection of surfaces with disinfectants approved by the MOH, and to ensure the disinfection of restrooms and toilets, with focus on places where contact is most likely, such as door handles, dining tables, seat cushions, elevator switches, etc.
• Constantly ensure good ventilation in all beneficiaries ’rooms and gathering places, and it is preferable to use natural ventilation.
• Working personnel who have direct contact with suspected or confirmed cases must use safety and protection tools and replace the masks and gloves if they become wet or dirty, as well as not use them more than once, with an emphasis on providing personal protection supplies.

Social distancing and remote working:

• It is preferable to cancel all social activities and meetings, including group eating in restaurant halls, open buffets, and the like.
• It is preferable to reduce visiting periods for family and relatives and to only occur by a prior appointment.
• It is preferable to set a certain number of workers to work in each social shelter or center so that they are free to work only in their designated place, and avoid switching from one shelter to the other.
• Ensure physical distancing of (1.5 meters) is maintained in all areas of the floor.

Symptoms Monitoring:

• Situate a checkpoint at all entrances, including measuring the temperature with a device approved by the SFDA and asking about any respiratory symptoms (coughing or shortness of breath). 
• Train officials at checkpoints on the method of test performing and the use of thermometers. 
• Measure the temperature of all employees daily. 
• Do not allow any worker who has influenza-like symptoms (fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat) to come to work and they must be isolated until they are examined and their symptoms are disappeared, according to the report of their treating doctor.

Reporting:

• Monitor cases that have respiratory symptoms and are suspected of being infected with Covid-19 according to the approved protocol and refer them immediately to the hospital, specify the case’s data and contact numbers, and follow up on referring suspected or confirmed cases to the hospitals according to health directives.
• Collaborate with the MOH in the process of monitoring cases in contact with the confirmed and ensure quarantine procedures are applied according to the guidelines of quarantine.
• The infection control committee at the shelter/center monitors the updates of evidence of infectious diseases and circulates them to the health and administrative staff and is committed to reporting any infectious disease according to the policies followed in the reporting regulation for infectious diseases.
• If a confirmed case is registered among the workers, the following must be done:

• Ensure that there is no source of infection by examining and isolating other workers and residents who have had contact.

• In the event that there is housing for workers, it is preferable to prepare an isolation room for the suspected cases in their residence so that they are isolated until contacted by the competent authorities (Please see the health conditions for workers’ housing to fight Covid-19).

Awareness and Communication:

• Ensure that the educational content is in conformity with what is published on the MOH or Weqaya website.
• Spread awareness-raising media such as posters and educational leaflets in the gathering areas and halls and their official sites to urge workers and service providers to wash hands and follow the etiquette of coughing and sneezing in the language of service providers from personal care and health care.
• Educate workers about preventive measures regarding respiratory diseases, in theory and practice, and urge them to follow and implement the measures.
• Fight rumors and misinformation through the health departments in the social shelter and urge workers to adhere to and refer to the aforementioned approved sources of information.
• Educate health staff about reporting mechanisms and how to deal with beneficiaries and workers suffering from respiratory symptoms.
• Spread awareness of using alcohol-based hand sanitizers in a correct manner among the workers, distribute sanitizers and place them in prominent places, and ensure the availability of hand soap in the restrooms, gathering areas and work areas.
• It is preferable to establish communication channels for food service providers to report any breach of requirements and violations in order to work to avoid them.

Implementation:

• Urge workers to disclose when they or any of the beneficiaries experience any respiratory symptoms or high temperature and inform the medical department in the shelter or center. The medical department must report any infectious disease according to the policies followed in the reporting regulation for infectious diseases.

 

Appendix A: Individuals who are at Higher Risk of Infection

The health controls for suspending attendance at workplaces during the Covid-19 pandemic shall be attached to the medical reports of the below Health Conditions:

• Those over the age of 65 years
• Chronic lung disease, or severe asthma:

For those who have been admitted to the hospital at least once in the past six months.

• Chronic heart diseases:

– Heart muscle failure.

– Coronary artery disease with at least having one heart attack during the past year.

• Inherited Immunodeficiency diseases
• Acquired Immunodeficiency:

1. Acquired immunodeficiency disease

2. Use of immunosuppressive drugs.

3. Use of cancer treatment drugs.

• Obesity:

BMI 40>kg/m2

• Chronic medical conditions:

4. Uncontrolled diabetes, which necessitated admission to the hospital at least once during the past six months

5. High blood pressure disease, which required admission to the hospital at least once during the past six months

6. Kidney failure (dialysis)

7. Cirrhosis.