During the COVID-19 pandemic and as we get back to work OndeCare continues to provide safe, reliable care to all existing and new clients. This most recent spike in COVID-19 cases require consistent adherence to recommended COVID-19 Safety Protocols as outlined by the CDC and the State of Ohio.

• OndeCare Heroes report their temperature and answer the most current COVID-19 screening questions on each day that they have an OndeCare job. Our caregivers know not to report for work if they exhibit any of the symptoms of COVID-19. If answers to our COVID-19 screening question eliminate their ability to work that day, Caregivers are asked to get tested as soon as possible.
• Clients continue to seek us out to provide care for those at risk for COVID-19. Clients have two ways to communicate these needs of Caregivers: through messaging before making a reservation or in Job Notes during a reservation. Caregivers are encouraged to openly discuss their own protocols to determine if they are a match for a particular client. Additionally, Caregivers are encouraged to decline a client's request if they feel they are not following strict COVID-19 safety protocols.
• Also, Clients seek us out to provide care for those exposed to COVID-19. Clients have two ways to communicate these needs of Caregivers: through messaging before making a reservation or in Job Notes during a reservation. Each Caregiver has the right to accept or decline the job given their own health concerns and that of their families.
• In the interest of everyone’s safety, as we support essential employees and care for our most fragile community members, OndeCare has issued the following guidelines to all its Providers based on State and CDC information and recommendations. Our COVID-19 policies are continually reviewed and updated to stay current with official guidance that applies to home care providers.

OndeCare continues to provide part-time, full-time, and back-up family care to families juggling jobs and care of loved ones of all ages and needs. Additionally, we are providing essential workforce back-up to local Home Care Agencies.

COVID-19 Cases are climbing and so are related deaths. Please re-establish MASK wearing while in close contact with your clients. When caring for an individual at-risk for COVID-19 or an individual who has been exposed to COVID-19, it is recommended to wear 2 masks. We understand mask-fatigue but implore you, to keep you and your clients safe, to continue to practice all COVID-19 safety protocols through this third wave including wearing a MASK at all times when in the same room as your clients or their family members. We know you do not want to be responsible for anyone getting sick. Remember clients many clients are highly susceptible of contracting COVID-19 and would find it very hard to battle COVID-19, if exposed. MASK breaks are expected. But, take MASK breaks while outside or while isolated in a room away from your clients and their family members. Finally, we know that many of you get tested regularly but this is a reminder that COVID-19 tests are not 100% accurate and potential exposure can happen any minute after taking the test.

Keeping a supply of PPE is essential to successfully providing safe care while protecting yourself from COVID-19. All OndeCare Providers should know that all PPE – Masks, Shields, Gloves, and Gowns – are tax deductible for independent care providers. So SAVE ALL RECEIPTS.

FACE MASKS: OndeCare Providers are required to wear a mask when providing care to all OndeCare clients. When caring for an individual at-risk or COVID-19 or an individual who has been exposed to COVID-19, it is recommended to wear 2 masks. We do not wear the same disposable mask with more than one client and we wash/disinfect washable masks between clients.

Cloth Masks should be washed and/or cleaned daily using one of the below methods:

• Hand wash with hot water and soap; hang dry
• Soak in rubbing alcohol, ring, hang dry
• Submerge in water and microwave in water at cusp of boiling
• Launder in home washer/dryer

GLOVES: Gloves should be worn during all patient-care activities that may involve exposure to blood or body fluids contaminated. In addition, gloves should be worn in activities that include contact with potentially infectious material other than blood, such as mucous membranes, and non-intact skin or during outbreak situations, as recommended by specific requirements for Personal Protective Equipment.

If gloves are used, the following CDC recommendations are followed:

1. Put on new gloves before contact
2. Wear gloves during contact
3. Remove gloves after caring for a client - do not wear the same gloves for more than one client
4. Do not reuse or wash gloves
5. Don’t forget hand hygiene after removing gloves. Gloves are not a replacement for hand hygiene

CLOSE CONTACTS: Close contacts of a confirmed or probable case should be quarantined for 14 days after their last contact with a case. When COVID-19 is suspected, prompt initiation of quarantine protocols for close contacts may be warranted to prevent the potential spread of SARS-CoV-2 while the individual with suspected COVID-19 awaits test results or evaluation by a healthcare provider.

Close contact is defined as: someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes (total/cumulative time) starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic clients, 2 days prior to positive specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated. Additionally, a person would be considered a close contact if they provided care in the home to someone who is sick with COVID-19, had direct physical contact with them (e.g., hugged or kissed them), shared eating or drinking utensils, or had unprotected direct contact with infectious secretions or excretions of the infected person (e.g., was coughed/sneezed on, touched used tissues with a bare hand).
Source: ODH-IDCM CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 Page 7/Section 3 Revised 10/28/2020

Finally, OndeCare Providers continue to follow our SELF-REPORTING (even when not scheduled for an OndeCare job) and SELF-SCREENING (prior to each OndeCare job) Protocols.

OndeCare continues to provide back-up family care to essential employees and the elderly.

PPE: We have a supply of gloves and washable cloth masks. We will be delivering gloves and a mask to you as needed.

Self Screening Protocol

Updated COVID-19 screening questions for every day you care for a client.

1. 1. What is your tempertaure?
2. 2. Do you have a cough?
3. 3. Do you have shortness of breath?
4. 4. Are you experiencing new loss of taste or smell?
5. 5. Have you been in contact with anyone with any of these symptoms?

Please be specific and answer each question individually. Response is needed before each day's shift(s). If you have multiple shifts in a day, one response will be sufficient unless a change in symptoms occurs between shifts.

PPE Reminders

FACE MASKS: Wear a mask when providing care to your OndeCare clients. Make sure you do not wear the same disposable mask with more than one client and be sure to wash/disinfect washable and N95 masks between clients

GLOVES: Gloves should be worn during all patient-care activities that may involve exposure to blood or body fluids contaminated with blood. In addition, gloves should be worn in activities that include contact with potentially infectious material other than blood, such as mucous membranes, and non-intact skin or during outbreak situations, as recommended by specific requirements for Personal Protective Equipment.

OndeCare continues to provide back-up family care to essential employees and the elderly. We have a supply of gloves and just received a small supply of washable cloth masks. We will be delivering gloves and a mask to Ondecare Providers as needed..

FACE MASKS: OndeCare Providers are required to wear a mask when providing care to all OndeCare clients. We do not wear the same disposable mask with more than one client and we wash/disinfect washable and N95 masks between clients.

Cloth Masks should be washed and/or cleaned daily using one of the below methods:

• Hand wash with hot water and soap; hang dry
• Soak in rubbing alcohol, ring, hang dry
• Submerge in water and microwave in water at cusp of boiling
• Launder in home washer/dryer

GLOVES: Gloves should be worn during all patient-care activities that may involve exposure to blood or body fluids contaminated with blood. In addition, gloves should be worn in activities that include contact with potentially infectious material other than blood, such as mucous membranes, and non-intact skin or during outbreak situations, as recommended by specific requirements for Personal Protective Equipment.

If gloves are uses, the following CDC recommendations are followed:

1. 1. Put on new gloves before contact
2. 2. Wear gloves during contact
3. 3. Remove gloves after caring for a client - do not wear the same gloves for more than one client
4. 4. Do not reuse or wash gloves
5. 5. Don’t forget hand hygiene after removing gloves. Gloves are not a replacement for hand hygiene.

Finally, OndeCare Providers continue to follow our SELF-REPORTING (even when not scheduled for an OndeCare job) and SELF-SCREENING (prior to each OndeCare job) Protocols.

As an update, there are still zero reported COVID-19 cases associated with any OndeCare providers or OndeCare clients.

Ohio Governor DeWine and Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Acton, by the recommendation of The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is now encouraging all citizens to wear face coverings in public settings. “Wearing a mask will not prevent someone from contracting COVID-19, but it can help prevent them from spreading it to others – especially if they have the virus but are not yet showing symptoms. Guidance on how to make a homemade mask can be found on coronavirus.ohio.gov.”

FACE MASK REQUIREMENT: Effective Immediately, all OndeCare Providers are required to wear a face mask (homemade or otherwise) when providing care to OndeCare clients; and are not to wear the same disposable mask with more than one client and be sure to wash/disinfect washable and N95 masks between clients.

Given our status as a back-up family care provider to essential employees, OndeCare was added to a local list for washable cloth masks last week. Also, Flagship Car Wash (from Vienna, VA) will be shipping 50 masks to OndeCare this week. We will be delivering masks to you as soon as we receive them.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) maintains the following signs and symptoms are for all respiratory infections, including COVID-19:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

If you have these symptoms, even if you do not have a scheduled OndeCare job, inform the OndeCare office through the messaging system right away and contact your healthcare provider to schedule a tele-health screening session and possible testing.

Effective immediately self-screening is necessary before each OndeCare shift.

Before each OndeCare shift, take your temperature and document your temperature and respiratory symptoms to the office via our messaging system.

• Record temperature
• Confirm absence of shortness of breath
• Record any new or change in cough or sore throat