Community Assistance Center COVID-19 Safety Protocols

 

Community Assistance Center (CAC) uses the guidance set forth by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), GA Department of Public Health, and Executive Orders signed by Governor Kemp as minimum standards for COVID-19 safety measures. These measures are in place at CAC:

  • All staff and volunteers are screened with temperature checks at the beginning of each shift. People with temperatures of 99 and higher will be sent home.
  • Temperatures of all thrift store shoppers are checked at the entrance. People with temperatures of 99 and higher will be turned away.
  • ALL persons are required to wear masks at CAC facilities. Masks are provided as needed.
  • Gloves are provided in all working areas and required when working in the food pantry.
  • Plexiglass partitions at check-lanes have been installed.
  • Staff, volunteers, clients, shoppers and guests are encouraged to observe social distancing and remain six feet apart while entering and being at CAC facilities through the following measures:
    1. Actively monitoring and, when needed, metering traffic to promote social distancing.
    2. Posting signage throughout the building.
    3. Implementing floor signage.
  • Hand sanitizer is provided at each work station.
  • Frequent handwashing is encouraged.
  • Frequently touched hard surfaces are sanitized often.
  • Thrift store shoppers are asked to sanitize their hands upon entering the store.
  • Dressing rooms in the thrift store are unavailable.
  • People who have traveled to affected areas of the world are not allowed to volunteer until they quarantine for at least 14 days.
  • People who are medically fragile or at-risk are not allowed to volunteer.
  • Individuals 65 and older may make a personal determination about volunteering based on their comfort level.


Positive Test Cases

In an effort to maintain a safe environment for everyone, people who test positive are not allowed on CAC premises until the following occurs:

  • They have had NO FEVER for at least 72 hours (that is three full days of no fever without the use of medicine that reduces fevers), AND
  • At least 10 days have passed since their symptoms first appeared,
    AND
  • They provide evidence of a negative test for COVID-19.

Contact Tracing

In addition to the requirements above, we are utilizing contact tracing to identify any staff/volunteer who may have been in close contact with an infected person. Close contact is defined as being within six feet of someone for a period of at least 15 consecutive minutes.

  • CAC requires the staff/volunteers who were in close contact to not return to work for 14 days. This includes those who have been in close contact with a COVID-19 positive person outside of work as well.
  • People who had close contact with positive cases must be tested and have a negative result before returning to CAC.

 

Impact on CAC Hours and Services

  • Contact tracing may cause multiple employees and volunteers to be sent home from a single positive test or contact with someone with a positive test for the quarantine/testing period.
  • CAC’s strict contact tracing protocol may affect operations and may, at times, require CAC to revise operating days or times.
  • This is not necessarily an indication of a significant number of positive cases, but reflects the precautions CAC is taking to protect all who come to CAC.