This page was last reviewed on February 15, 2023
Precautions to Protect
How is MODC protecting employees, volunteers, and clients?
As we continue to navigate the evolving COVID-19 situation, health and safety remain our top priority. Right now, our locations are open at 50%. Precautions such as mandatory masking, physically distancing and capacity limits are still in effect. Note that volunteers are now participating in some in-person services.
Please continue to follow all directions provided by your manager or supervisor regarding precautions and scheduling.
Anyone required to be on-site must pass COVID-19 screening, use masks and personal protective equipment (PPE), and keep a safe physical distance. We’ll post signs reminding everyone to practice physical distancing as much as possible and install plastic shields as necessary. Designated break areas have been assigned where people can remove their masks to eat and drink, but food and drink should not be shared. Hand hygiene stations with soap and water or alcohol-based sanitizer will also be available. Finally, we’ve established a daily and weekly cleaning schedule for each office.
Please reach out to your direct supervisor with any questions or concerns.
What are the requirements for pre-shift screening?
Anyone required to be on-site must complete and pass the COVID-19 screener in Quatro before every shift. This cannot be done the day before or the day after working.
We’re regularly updating the screener to reflect the latest information, so it’s essential that you read the questions carefully every time you complete it.
If you’ve been told to self-isolate by Public Health or a healthcare professional, you must complete the screener to determine if you can return to work.
If you’ve been feeling unwell, but it’s unrelated to COVID-19, you must still complete the screener before returning to work. There are no exceptions to this process.
Are volunteers being screened, too?
Yes, they are. Volunteers are being screened through a Microsoft form – no paper version is available. Volunteers can reach out to their direct supervisor with any questions about accessing or administering the screener.
What if someone doesn’t pass the screening?
Anyone who doesn’t pass the screener cannot enter an MODC location. If their responses indicate possible exposure to COVID-19, or infection, they may need to self-isolate for 10 days. Next steps will depend on provincial or territorial public health guidelines or a healthcare professional’s recommendation.
What if someone refuses to complete the screening as required?
Anyone who refuses daily screening will not be allowed to work or volunteer at an MODC location for 14 days or more and may be subject to discipline.
MODC employees and volunteers must complete daily screening:
- Before entering an MODC location for work or volunteering.
- Before reporting for a shift or placement, or for their first appointment of the day.
- When experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19 while at work.
- After returning from international travel.
Who should I contact if I have questions about COVID-19, vaccinations or MODC’s health and safety practices?
Please contact Health and Safety (People & Culture) at healthandsafety@marchofdimes.ca
Personal Protective Equipment
Why do we still need to wear PPE when all of our staff are vaccinated?
COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective, but they aren’t perfect. Immunity decreases over time, which means vaccinated and boosted people can still contract and transmit the virus. That’s why it’s important to continue following infection prevention and control protocols like washing your hands often, using PPE when necessary, wearing a mask, and properly disinfecting public spaces.
Taking these steps, in addition to getting vaccinated, will provide as much protection as possible against the virus.
Are cloth masks and non-medical surgical masks sufficient for employees who are going into the office and not working on the front line?
If you’re not working in a healthcare setting, these masks are sufficient.
Masks remain mandatory in our service delivery locations. Please refer to the HS 05-11-01 Non-Medical Facial Mask Policy to learn more.
Community Support Services (CSS) employees should continue to follow department protocol regarding PPE. Proper donning and doffing procedures must be followed as outlined in the ongoing training provided.
The Government of Canada’s website provides guidance on the different kinds of masks available and when to use them on the page COVID-19 mask use: Types of masks and respirators.
For the best and latest information and guidance about mask use, please consult the Government of Canada’s web page on this topic.
CSS workers are currently wearing N95 masks with suspected COVID-19 positive clients. Am I safely able to store the N95 in a paper bag if I were to go on break, etc?
No. There’s no shortage of masks right now, so we aren’t reusing N95 masks. You’ll have access to new masks as necessary according to IPAC (Infection Prevention & Control) recommendations.
Should I wear a mask when I’m in a public area but not working?
We recommend wearing a mask in public indoor settings even if it isn’t required.
It’s especially important to wear a mask if you are:
- At risk of more severe illness from COVID-19.
- Around others who are at risk of more severe illness.
- Visiting a group living setting.
- In a crowded or poorly ventilated setting.
Mental Health Webinars
Mental Health Week Webinars - May 2: Finding Flow: Engagement at Work
Mental Health Week Webinars - May 3: Mental health awareness
Mental Health Week Webinars - May 4: Burnout and Boundaries
Mental Health Week Webinars - May 5: Raising Joy
Mental Health Week Webinars - May 6: Building Resilience in Uncertain Times
Rapid Testing
Which employees are required to take a rapid antigen test (RAT)?
Community Support Services (CSS) employees are subject to mandatory rapid antigen testing requirements and should continue to follow their department’s testing protocols.
As a CSS employee, when do I need to take an RAT?
That depends on your current vaccination status. Below are guidelines for CSS staff on RAT frequency based on vaccination status.
You are up-to-date with your COVID-19 vaccines when you have received all doses in the primary series and one or two boosters when eligible. In simple words, “up-to-date” means that you have received all vaccinations that are recommended by health authorities.
If you have no symptoms:
- An antigen test at least two times per week, on separate days, if you are up-to-date with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses;
- An antigen test at least three times per week, on separate days, if not up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses; or
- One PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and one antigen test per week, at a minimum, on separate days if not up to date with your recommended COVID-19 vaccines.
If you have symptoms and a rapid test is being completed to confirm COVID-19:
- It is important to collect two swabs within 24 hours on day 3 and day 4 of the onset of symptoms. A negative result of a rapid test on day 1 or day 2 is not indicative of a true negative.
Are RATs accurate?
Emerging research shows that oral-nasal samples of RATs detect infectious cases of the Omicron variant more reliably than only nasal samples. This means swabbing both cheeks, the back of the tongue or throat, and then both nostrils.
How long is a negative RAT result accurate?
A negative RAT result tells you that you weren’t infected at the moment it was taken. But remember that, if you have a low viral load, you could test negative but be infected and test positive later on.
Resources for Frontline Staff
Professional Supports and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health – Mental Health and COVID-19
- Center for Addiction and Mental Health – ECHO Coping with COVID-19
Support and Service Navigation via Frontline Wellness Program