Guidelines for Cloth Masks and PPE in Re-entry Plan
Cloth face coverings play a crucial role in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Staff are required to wear masks in specific situations, while students are encouraged to wear face coverings unless it impacts their health. Proper handling and laundering of masks are essential for their effectiveness. Parents' requests for their child to wear masks will be accommodated where possible.
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Re-entry Plan: Cloth masks and PPE Linda Hughes BSN, RN, CSN Mary Meduri RN August 4, 2020 Updated August 10, 2020
Cloth Face coverings (masks) Cloth face coverings are meant to protect other people in case the wearer is unknowingly infected with COVID-19 but does not have symptoms. Masks can be reused until damaged or no longer maintain shape Should be handled and laundered following CDC guidance: - Wash in regular laundry with detergent and warm water - Wash by hand using bleach see CDC guidelines https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-to-wash- cloth-face-coverings.html
Cloth Face coverings (masks) Under Phase 1 : wearing a face mask is the minimum requirement Face masks must be worn by all staff A face mask may be supplemented with a face shield IF a staff member has a documented medical reason for not wearing a mask. The staff member should submit that documentation to the principal and Human Resources director. Every effort will be made to put the individual on a remote roster.
Cloth Face coverings (masks): Staff Staff are required to wear masks: When working with students When transitioning through common spaces When working in a common space where the ability to maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet is not possible Staff working in the isolation of their own office, are not required to use PPEs.
Face coverings (masks) staff may wear a school supplied mask or wear one from home the mask must cover the nose and mouth the chin must be covered EXPOSURE of nose is not acceptable
Face coverings (masks) Students Students are required to wear face coverings unless: doing so would inhibit the student s health. enforcing the use of face coverings may not be possible since all students attending Archbishop Damiano School have severe intellectual disabilities Special note: A large minority of students have acute or chronic medical conditions.
Face coverings (masks) Students If a parent/guardian requests that their child wear a mask, every reasonable attempt will be made to insure that child wears a mask. However, the students will not be forced to wear the mask. The parent/guardian will be informed by the teacher if is they are not successful in having the student wear a mask. If a student is suspected of having Covid-19, every reasonable attempt will be made to have the child wear a mask or a face shield while waiting for the parent to take them home.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) PPE is designed to protect the wearer and/or those nearby from the spread of illness-causing germs. When used properly, PPE acts as a barrier between infectious materials such as viral contaminants and the wearer s skin, mouth, nose, or eyes. PPE has the potential to block transmission of contaminants from blood, bodily fluids, or respiratory secretions
Types of PPE PPEs available to staff are KN95 masks, clear masks, face shields, goggles, gloves, hair covers, gowns and shoe covers Will be used as protocol or circumstances dictate When dealing with an individual who is suspected of having Covid- 19, staff will use a mask, face shield, gloves and gown When a staff member is asked to sit with a student in the isolation room, PPE will be provided for the staff member
PPE: Gloves Gloves are worn for specific individual tasks where staff may come contact with bodily fluids, other contaminants, potentially toxic substances, or when serving food/feeding students. Gloves should not be worn for prolonged periods of time. Gloves must be properly disposed of after each use.
Where do I get PPE? Kate Flynn, Director of ADS program will provide PPE (gloves, gowns, surgical masks, face shields, shoe covers, hairnets) for everyday classroom use. Please contact her for your supply needs. The nurses will provide PPE (gloves, gowns, KN95 masks, face shields, shoe covers and hairnets) for the isolation "sick" rooms when a staff member has to sit with a student until the parents come to pick the student up. Nurse Linda will still provide the weekly supply of gloves, tissues, wipes etc... in the Early Childhood Center
The NJDOE: The Road Back Frequently asked questions: Face Coverings 1. Are face coverings required for staff, students, and visitors in school facilities? Yes. District staff, students, and visitors are required to wear face coverings except under the following circumstances: When doing so would inhibit the individual s health. When a student is in extreme heat outdoors. When a student is in water. If a student s documented medical condition, or disability as reflected in an Individualized Education Program (IEP), precludes the use of a face covering. If a student is under the age of two (2), due to the risk of suffocation. When a student is eating or drinking. If or when anyone has trouble breathing or is unconscious, is incapacitated, or is otherwise unable to remove the face covering without assistance (e.g., face coverings should not be worn by Pre-K students during nap time). The student is engaged in high intensity aerobic or anaerobic activities. During gym and music classes when individuals are in a well-ventilated location and able to maintain a physical distance of six feet apart (see number 2 below). When wearing a face covering creates an unsafe condition in which to operate equipment or execute a task (for example, students operating machinery in which face coverings may get caught).
The NJDOE: The Road Back Frequently asked questions: Face Coverings 2. Are students required to wear face coverings during specials/electives such as music/choir or physical education? Face coverings may be removed during physical education or music classes, provided individuals are in a well-ventilated location and able to maintain a physical distance of six feet apart. Vigorous exercise, as well as music and choir classes in a confined space (e.g., indoors) may contribute to transmission of COVID-19 and should be limited. Consider conducting such activities in an area with greater ventilation or air exchange (e.g., outdoors). When students are not singing or playing an instrument that requires the use of their mouth, they should wear a face covering in music class (unless class is outdoors and distance can be maintained).
The NJDOE: The Road Back Frequently asked questions: Face Coverings 3. Who is responsible for supplying face coverings and other supplies to staff and students? Who should be notified if the district cannot acquire the necessary health and safety supplies needed for reopening? Is an enhanced level of PPE needed for school nurses and/or other staff who work more closely with students? Face coverings may be provided by the student s family/guardian and can be included as part of the back to school supplies list provided to families/guardians prior to the start of school year. Schools should provide extra disposable face coverings for students who need them (e.g. students who forget or misplace their face coverings) and should provide face coverings for students that are experiencing financial hardship and are unable to afford them to the greatest extent possible. Districts should provide (in addition to normal supplies) any additional supplies/materials necessary for staff to do their jobs. For example, teaching staff, nursing staff, food service professionals, etc., should be provided with gloves, as necessary. The Road Back (p. 25-27) advises that special consideration should be given to protect staff members, such as school nurses, custodians, and some special education teachers, paraprofessionals and services providers, who will be in close contact with students or handle waste materials. As a resource, the Department s guidance also refers to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education s memo regarding Guidance on Required Safety Supplies for Re-opening Schools, which provides additional information on the quantity and type of PPE materials for such staff members.
The NJDOE: The Road Back Frequently asked questions: Face coverings 4. How long should a face mask be used before it is replaced? Based on updated reopening standards from the Department of Education, all students and staff are required to wear face coverings. Cloth face coverings are different than surgical face masks (which could also be worn but which are in short supply and should generally be reserved for healthcare workers). Cloth face coverings should be washed at the end of every day (sooner if they become wet or soiled). Single use disposable face masks should be changed daily unless they become damp or soiled, in this case they should be replaced immediately.
The NJDOE: The Road Back Frequently asked questions: Face coverings 5. Can staff and/or students wear face shields instead of face coverings? Currently, the CDC does not recommend use of face shields as a substitute for face coverings. Therefore, they may not be used to satisfy face covering requirements. However, they may be an option for students with medical or other challenges that preclude the use of face coverings. If face shields are used without a mask, they should wrap around the sides of the wearer s face and extend to below the chin. https://www.nj.gov/education/reopening/faqs/index.shtml
Disposal of PPE All used PPEs should be considered a biohazard and either disposed of properly or thoroughly disinfected (face shields) Marked pedal operated trashcans will be available in each classroom and therapy area for the disposal of used PPE s and disinfecting waste materials.
Sources Archbishop Damiano School Reopening Plan v.2 August 3,2020 https://content.schoolinsites.com/api/documents/01e09171949d4cb282bc 6c49d0f866ab.pdf NJDOE s The Road Back frequently asked questions https://www.nj.gov/education/reopening/faqs/index.shtml Personal Protective Equipment for COVID-19 Care Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=84CydmuHXD8&fea ture=emb_title
