Cloth masks available for use by employees at non-clinical sites
Effective Tuesday, April 14, Penn State Health will provide special cloth masks to staff and essential contractors in non-clinical locations to provide a safe work environment while recognizing the current situation of limited and uncertain supply of certain critical items. These masks do not have the same filtration quality as clinical masks and have been recommended for personnel in non-clinical locations, who are at reduced risk of exposure to COVID-19.
These masks should be used as a complement to social distancing, frequent and thorough hand washing and surface cleaning, respiratory etiquette and staying home when sick. These remain the best ways to limit exposure and slow the spread of COVID-19.
Employees will receive three cloth masks, which should be laundered using detergent and hot water after each day of use. Cloth masks should be replaced if they become contaminated with respiratory or nasal secretions or other bodily fluids or if they become damaged or wet.
If an employee who is primarily assigned to non-clinical areas must also work in a clinical area, the employee will be given a Level 1 mask once per week when work in clinical areas is required.
Hershey Medical Center managers can obtain cloth masks for employees using the employee mask and face shield distribution order form and bringing it with them at pick-up in the hospital anteroom HG305.
Managers at St. Joseph Medical Center Bern Campus should pick up masks for their employees in the Incident Command Center in Franciscan Room B.
Mask distribution for St. Joseph Downtown and satellite locations is being finalized. Further communication to these managers regarding the process for obtaining cloth masks is coming.
Masks can be picked up beginning Tuesday, April 14. The full Interim COVID-19 Cloth Mask
Guidelines can be found on the Infonet.
Non-clinical locations at Hershey Medical Center:
- Academic Support Building
- College of Medicine
- Crystal A
- Eastmoor Building
- Granada
- East Chocolate Avenue
- Sipe Avenue
- Cocoa Avenue
- Support Services Building
- University Technology Center
Non-clinical locations/departments at St. Joseph Medical Center:
- Finance
- Facilities staff when not in a clinical area
- Health Information Management
- Performance Improvement
- Registration staff not in clinical areas
- Foundation
- Human Resources
- Supply Chain in the blue building
- Security, when not in a clinical area
- Administrative positions, when not in a clinical area
- Front desk
- Berks Medical (except delivery staff when needed)
- Couriers
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