Safety Reset: Adhering to safety precautions critical in midst of COVID surge

Pennsylvania’s surge in COVID-19 cases is affecting patients and health care workers alike. Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine have seen a significant increase in staff diagnosed with COVID in November compared to the past two to three months.

The causes of many of these infections appear to be lapses in basic precautions, ranging from social gatherings outside of work, letting one’s guard — and mask — down in workrooms and sitting too close to one another while sharing meals. Additionally, staff members may be working too closely to one another when not required to do so, such as when in computer rooms or during rounding.

To ensure an ability to provide adequate staffing across the health system, all employees are reminded to:

• Wear all required personal protective equipment when providing direct patient care. This includes wearing eye protection regardless of patient care setting: inpatient, outpatient or clinic.
• Adhere to universal masking guidelines, which call for masking at all times, including in non-patient areas. Masks must be worn in administrative offices, workrooms, breakrooms and other areas.
• Request patients and support persons to wear masks when staff enter an inpatient or outpatient exam room.
• Practice social distancing – six feet or more – in hallways, break rooms, common areas and dining spaces, and follow capacity limits in all areas, including elevators.
• Avoid gathering in large groups and sharing food, such as potlucks.
• Practice proper hand hygiene, especially when touching their faces as well as high-touch surfaces.
• Contact Employee Health (Penn State Health) / Occupational Medicine (College of Medicine) if they develop symptoms of COVID and not report to their workplace until released to return to work by Employee Health/Occupational Medicine.
• Immediately remove themselves from the workplace if they develop symptoms of COVID while at work and contact their direct supervisor and Employee Health/Occupational Medicine.

All employees must take these proactive measures immediately for the safety and health of co-workers and patients.

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