There have been approximately 19 million COVID cases in the U.S. Risks of contracting COVID-19 are even higher for people working with the public, or specifically, in medical settings. While you’re taking necessary precautions to protect yourself, your employees, and the public from spreading the virus, you don’t have any control over what happens outside your practice or business. Having just one team member down, or worse, having to quarantine additional team members, could really put a strain on your business plan. Today on the blog, our dental practice coaches share what to do when a team member tests positive for COVID.
Protecting yourself, team members, and those that enter your office begins with honesty and openness. Be sure that you set the expectation with your team members that they are to report any symptoms of COVID, including ones that may relate to other illnesses. Don’t assume it’s just a cold or allergies. GET TESTED! You cannot afford to assume the risk. Any team member that has COVID symptoms must be tested and remain in quarantine until they receive their results. The next step is contact tracing.
Contact Tracing
If you have a team member that experiences symptoms of COVID, begin contact tracing by doing the following steps:
Determine who the team member came in contact with. Was the team member by themselves or around others? Anyone they were around for 15 minutes or more could also be at risk, according to the CDC. Find out if, when these interactions occurred, whether the individuals were wearing appropriate PPE. For instance, if the team member with COVID symptoms wears PPE all day at the office, had lunch by themselves, and was never face-to-face with anyone while unmasked, then the risk of spreading COVID to another team member is lower than if they attended a morning huddle (unmasked) or had lunch with another member of your office.
Do the right thing!
Anyone who had contact with this team member for more than 15 minutes without wearing PPE carries a significant risk of also testing positive for COVID. Do the right thing. Have them get tested and stay home too! Even if it means quarantining your entire office. Team members that test positive for COVID should stay home for 14 days, and they must have a negative test before returning to the office. Be sure to let every person who has been in contact with this person and ask them to quarantine as well. This may include contacting patients or other patrons inside your office. Ideally, you or your office manager would individually call these patients so that they are contacted immediately and reminded of the CDC guidelines such as remaining quarantined, getting a COVID test, and the early symptoms of COVID-19. After the affected person(s) have been sent home, sanitize and disinfect your entire office, specifically any areas used or touched by the person that tested positive.
Mitigating the spread of COVID-19 is a team effort. Iterate to your team how essential it is that they practice safety measures while away from the office, such as wearing a mask in public, avoiding large gatherings whenever possible, and how to recognize early signs of COVID-19. Additionally, team members should feel comfortable reporting their symptoms or test results to you without fear of backlash. This is difficult for everyone, and team members need to feel supported during this challenging time, not made to feel guilty if they become sick or have to remain home because of a family member that is sick.
Dental Practice Consultants
Navigating the COVID virus as a dental practice has been a challenge. To help ensure you are well equipped with the tips and training necessary, Bryant Consultants is here for you. To learn more about our dental practice consulting or to find out how our dental trainers can help your practice through this difficult time, contact Bryant Consultants by calling (877) 768-4799 or contact us today. For more advice on managing a dental practice during a pandemic, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
