Resource Access Center
Articles
- CDC: Coughing and Sneezing
- CDC: Water, Sanitation & Environmental-related Hygiene
- CDC: COVID
- CDC-19 Symptoms
- CDC: How to Protect Yourself
- Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools
- CDC: People at Increased Risk
- CDC: Personal & Social Activities
- CDC: Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette
- CDC: What to Do if You Are Sick
- HMH: Carry These 5 Things with You to Help Prevent COVID-19
- HMH: Can COVID Cause Insomnia
- HMH: Is it Safe to Donate Blood During COVID-19?
- HMH: The New Variants of COVID-19, Explained
Policy & Procedure
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Videos & Webinars
FAQs
Articles
- CDC: Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives
- CDC: Hand Sanitizer Use Out and About
- CDC: Safely Using Hand Sanitizer
- CDC: When & How to Wash Your Hands
- CDC: Life is Better with Clean Hands
Policy & Procedure
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Videos & Webinars
Posters & Handouts
Articles
- CDC: Duration of Isolation and Precautions for Adults with COVID-19
- CDC: Isolate If You Are Sick
- CDC: Social Distancing
- CDC: When to Quarantine
- CDC: When You Can Be Around Others After You Had or Likely Had COVID-19
- HMH: Safe and Warm Ways to Gather Outside While Social Distancing
- OSHA: COVID-19 Guidance on Social Distancing at Work (PDF)
Policy & Procedure
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Videos & Webinars
- CDC: Key Times to Practice Social Distancing
- CDC: Slow the Spread of COVID-19 at School
- Please add: CDC: Visiting Friends and Family Who Need to Take Extra Precautions
- CDC: Social Distancing (Spanish)
Posters & Handouts
Articles
- CDC: Certified Equipment List
- CDC: Types of Masks of Respirators
- CDC Updates Consumer mask website to emphasize protection, fit, and comfort
- CDC: Your Guide to Masks
- CDC: Use of Masks to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19
- CDC: Wear a Mask
- FDA: Personal Protective Equipment EUAs
- HMH: 3 Reasons Why You Should Continue Wearing A Mask After Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine
- HMH: 5 Mask Mistakes People Make
- HMH: 5 Questions About Facemasks
- HMH: Everything You Should Know About New Mask Guidelines
- HMH: How to Properly Wear a Facemask
- HMH: How to Work Out Comfortably with a Mask
Policy & Procedure
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Videos & Webinars
Posters & Handouts
Articles
- CDC: CDC Diagnostic Tests for COVID-19
- CDC: COVID-19 Testing: What You Need to Know
- CDC: COVID-19 Testing
- CDC: Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools
- CDC: SARS-CoV-2 Testing Strategy: Considerations for Non-Healthcare Workplaces
- CDC: Test for Past Infection
- CDC: Testing for COVID-19
- HMH: COVID-19 Tests: Everything You Need to Know
- HMH: How to Prepare for a COVID Test
Policy & Procedure
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Articles
- CDC: Key Things to Know About Covid-19 Vaccines
- Lockton: Coronavirus vaccine update
- CDC: Understanding mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines
- CDC: Different COVID-19 Vaccines
- CDC: Understanding How COVID-19 Vaccines Work
- CDC: Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine
- CDC: Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination
- CDC: Ensuring the Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States
- CDC: How CDC is Making COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
- CDC: 8 Things to Know about Vaccine Planning
- HMH: All About the mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine and Allergies
- HMH: Recovered from COVID-19? Why You Still Need a Vaccine
- HMH: Scared of Needles? These 6 Tips Can Reduce Your Fear
- HMH: A Simple Breakdown of the Ingredients in the COVID Vaccines
- HMH: Vaccine Information
- NJ DOH: Why get vaccinated
Policy & Procedure
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Articles
- CDC: Contact Tracing for COVID-19
- CDC: Contact Tracing in Non-Healthcare Workplaces
- CDC: Private Sector, Non-Governmental Organizations and Academia
- OSHA: OSHA Requirements for COVID-19 Reporting
- NJDOH: How is the State Tracing so Many Contacts?
- NJDOH: What is Contact Tracing? How Does it Stop the Spread of COVID-19?
- NJDOH: How You Can Help the State's Contact Tracing Program?
- NJDOH: The Road Back: Expanding Testing Capacity and Contact Tracing in NJ
- NJDOH: How Do I Know When a Contact Tracer is Calling? How Do I Know it's Not a Scam?
- SHRM: Contact Tracing for Employers
Policy & Procedure
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Posters & Handouts
General Business Information
Articles
- CDC; Investigating and responding to COVID-19 cases in non-healthcare work settings
- CDC: CDC/EPA Cleaning & Disinfecting Guidance
- CDC: Reopening Buildings After Shutdown
- CDC: Coping with Stress for Workers
- EEOC: Pandemic Preparedness in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act
- EEOC: What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws
- HMH: Running Errands? Getting a Haircut? Look for These Safety Measures
- HMH: How to Keep Coronavirus Off Your Phone & Devices
- HMH: 7 Things Doctors Are Doing to Keep Patients Safe
- NJ Gov: COVID-19 Reopening Information
Policy & Procedure
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Videos & Webinars
Schools
Articles
- CDC: Screening K-12 Students for Symptoms of COVID-19: Limitations and Considerations
- CDC: Interim Guidance for Administrators of US Institutions of Higher Education
- CDC: Guidance for Institutions of Higher Education with Students Participating in International Travel or Study Abroad Programs
- Harvard University: Healthy Buildings Expert Outlines Recommendations for School Reopenings
- CDC: Operating Schools
- CDC: Testing in K-12 Schools
- CDC: School Nutrition Professionals & Volunteers
- CDC: Talking with Children
- CDC: Checklists for Going Back to School
- CDC: Keeping Children Healthy
- CDC: Considerations for Youth Sports
- CDC: Schools & Child Care
- CDC: Suggestions for Youth & Summer Camps
- CDC: Guidance for Student Foreign Travel
- CDC: Testing in Institutions of Higher Education
- CDC: Guidance for Administrators of Institutions of Higher Education
- CDC: Considerations for Institutes of Higher Education
- CDC: Interim Considerations for Testing for K-12 School Administrators and Public Health Officials
- CDC Offers Cautions, Guidance for Schools' COVID-19 Testing Strategies
- CDC: Schools and Child Care Programs
- NJ DOH: COVID-19 Guidance for Reopening Childcare
- NJ DOH: COVID-19 Public Health Recommendations for Local Health Departments for K-12 Schools
Policy & Procedure
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Videos & Webinars
- CDC: Key Times to Clean and Sanitize Toys in Child Care Programs
- CDC: COVID-19 Answering Children's Questions (ASL Video Series)
FAQs
Posters & Handouts
Hotels and Resorts
Articles
Policy and Procedure
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Articles
- CDC: Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility
- EPA: List of Disinfectants for COVID-19
- EPA: List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)
- CDC: Cleaning & Disinfecting
- CDC: Reopening Buildings After Shutdown
- CDC: Disinfecting Your Non-Emergency Vehicle
- HMH: How Are Hospitals Being Cleaned?
- HMH: HVAC and COVID-19 Tips and Lessons Learned
Policy & Procedure
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Articles
- HMH: What if I Like Being Quarantined?
- HMH: Why Routines are Important for Mental Health
- HMH: Feel Pandemic Guilt? You're Not Alone. Here's How to Overcome It.
- HMH: 3 Ways to Fix the Neck and Shoulder Pain You Feel While Working from Home
- HMH: 7 Ways to Stimulate Brain Health During a Lockdown
- HMH: Can Isolation During a Pandemic Lead to Depression?
- HMH: Ways to Help Kids Cope with Coronavirus Fears
- HMH: How to Sleep Better During the Coronavirus Crisis
- HMH: 6 Therapeutic Activities for Kids During the Coronavirus Outbreak
- HMH: Staying Connected While Social Distancing Is Important, Here's Why
- HMH: Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired? Try These 3 Things
- HMH: Drugs & Alcohol Are No Way to Cope – Try These Tips Instead
- HMH: How to Avoid Overeating While Working from Home
- HMH: Dealing with Child Boredom without Relying on Screen Time
- HMH: 8 Healthy Habits for Working From Home
- HMH: How to Stay Healthy When Stuck at Home
Policy & Procedure
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Videos & Webinars
- Meditation 4-part series with Justyn Comer
- Wellness in the Workplace
- How to Meditate
- Life Purpose
- Gratitude
Posters & Handouts
Question: With regards to HEPA filtration units – is there anything specific to look for in purchasing one? Is there a recommended brand? Will anything labeled HEPA work?
Answer: (Based on guidelines as of 9.24.20) Generally yes, if it has a HEPA rating it will work – specifically looking for filtration with a rating of MERV 13 and higher or H10 and higher. The unit used should be sized for the room they will be used in. As an example, around 240 Square Feet is equivalent to a 16' x 16' room which this portable Dayton unit portable Dayton unit available at Grainger could filter or for larger spaces, such as around 750 Square Feet or a 25’ x 30’ room, this Dayton unit would be more appropriate. I would suggest each room have its own unit in it. Based on a review of the available specs - the Dayton units have a sufficient filter rating of 0.997 efficient. Here is another option that would appear to work based on the literature. Large spaces may require professional assistance for correct sizing and power requirements We do not have experience with actual performance of the above units and do not recommend only considering these. They are intended as examples of ones that may work.
Answer provided by:
Todd Keiser, Director of Medical School Facilities Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine SME, Reopening America Project
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Question: Generally, is CDC the best / most reliable source to reference?
Answer: (Based on guidelines as of 9.24.20) The reference source you should use depends on the category of recommendation you are seeking. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the main reference for general and clinical/infection prevention recommendations for the state and federal governments. Although most governments follow CDC guidance, some state and federal guidelines may be more stringent. For example, the NJDOH and State Executive Orders tend to be extra cautious and more strict. However, it is important to know that NJDOH and State Executive orders “trump” CDC recommendations. Also, NJ DOH and Executive orders sometimes don’t cover all COVID-19 related topics. In these cases, the CDC is the main level of reference for general and clinical/infection prevention recommendations. Other sources of information include: a. World Health Organization (WHO) – tends to be more liberal in recommendations b. Business- specific recommendations – is aligned with the specific business and is generally guided by state and CDC recommendations. c. OSHA and ASHRAE guidance is based on the type of recommendation that is desired.
Answer provided by: Suelyn Boucree, MD, MBA, FACP Medical Director of Quality, HMH Network Chair CIN Quality Committee Co-Chair: Northern Regional Governance Committee SME, Reopening America Project
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Question: An employee tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. He was in the office on Monday with no symptoms, however symptoms started to surface on Tuesday. Besides sanitizing the office, what else can I advise others that may have been in contact with him to do as a precaution. I am going to ask him to trace his time here to advise us of those who may have had direct contact with him.
Answer (as of 9/16/20, updated 12/20/20)
- The Individual:
- A person who tests positive for COVID-19 will have a 10-day isolation period that starts the day of symptom onset or the day that a test was taken, if asymptomatic. The person must also be fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and other symptoms must improve before returning. If still febrile (having a fever) or heavily symptomatic after 10 days, isolation may need to extend to 20 days. A medical consult may be warranted if symptoms are severe. In this case, the person must remain in isolation until fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and other symptoms have.
- Close Contacts (being within 6 feet of someone with the virus for a cumulative total of 15 minutes (or more) over a 24-hour period, as per CDC and NJDOH):
- Person(s) must be notified of exposure. Do not provide any confidential information regarding the infected individual.
- A person who is exposed to COVID-19 must follow the CDC quarantine protocol for asymptomatic close contacts (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html). Symptoms should be monitored while quarantining.
- If symptoms develop or the person tests positive, they will need to follow the guidelines mentioned above for “The Individual.” • Allow close contacts to work from home, if possible.
- Other Individuals That Might Have Been in Contact but Not Close Contact:
- They should be notified of positive case. Do not provide any confidential information regarding the infected individual.
- They need to self-monitor for signs and symptoms. If any signs/symptoms develop they should say home and notify employer.
- Individuals exhibiting symptoms should reach out to their healthcare provider to determine if testing is warranted and to obtain recommendations on next steps.
- If the individual is diagnosed with COVID-19, they will need to do as stated above for person who tested positive.
- Comply with all precautionary measures (mask, hand hygiene, social distancing).
- The Environment:
- Clean surfaces with EPA-Approved disinfectants –allowing for appropriate dry times. If any cloth surfaces- make sure to clean and disinfect appropriately
- Assuming the individual has not re-entered the space since Monday the risk of transmission through air or surfaces would be minimal at this time point.
- To minimize additional exposures through environment all working spaces are best served by proactively having air systems with MERV 13 or higher filtration in them or Portable HEPA filtration units of sufficient size for the space they are used in.
- Workspaces would benefit from outside air introduction either through windows or more likely mechanical systems to provide as much fresh air dilution as possible.
- Your Local HealthCare Officials:
- Will likely be in contact with the infected individual to ask questions on close contacts and provide guidance.
- Might reach out to you for information (employer for information) -- Employers may need to work with local health department officials to determine which employees may have had close contact with the employee with COVID-19, and who may need to take additional precautions, including exclusion from work and remaining at home.
- Most workplaces should follow the Public Health Recommendations for Community-Related Exposure and instruct potentially exposed employees to stay home for 14 days, telework if possible, and self-monitor for symptoms. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020) Answer provided by: Suelyn Boucree, MD, MBA, FACP Medical Director of Quality, HMH Network Chair CIN Quality Committee Co-Chair: Northern Regional Governance Committee SME, Reopening America Project
Answer provided by: Suelyn Boucree, MD, MBA, FACP Medical Director of Quality, HMH Network Chair CIN Quality Committee Co-Chair: Northern Regional Governance Committee SME, Reopening America Project