COVID-19 Response and Investigation Procedures

Guidelines to for a Safe Return to the Workplace​​

 COVID-19 Response and Investigation Procedures

 

What to do if you learn of a POSITIVE COVID-19 test.

If the person is an employee:

The supervisor will tell the employee to stay home and they will gather the following information from the employee:

  • Last name
  • First name
  • DOB
  • Age
  • Address
  • Phone #
  • E-mail
  • Date we were notified of a positive test:
  • Was person symptomatic while on campus?
  • Does person have household members that are symptomatic?
  • Does person have household contacts that have tested positive for COVID-19?
  • Was the individual tested for COVID-19?  If so, date. ____________   Location Tested ________________
  • Does the individual have symptoms? _______  Onset date? ___________
  • Locations in building while infectious.  Building/wing/floor/room
  • When was the last time they were on campus?

Has this person been in close contact with any other students or staff members while infectious (2 days before the onset of symptoms)?  Close contact is defined as within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more cumulatively in a 24-hour period, with or without a mask.  (The Health Care Agency will follow up with social contacts that are not campus-related).

 

  • Notify you supervisor and Alistair Winter, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Human Resources and Don Maus, Director, Risk Management about the positive test.
  • Any other communications should not include the name of the individual with the Positive Test due to privacy reasons. You must keep the person's name confidential so you won't be able to ask coworkers if they had close contact with that person.  You will have to follow up with the person who tested positive to try to determine any close contacts.
  • Send Don the information you gathered from the employee.
  • Don will contact the OC Health Care Agency to inform them of the positive test.
  • Don will send an e-mail to any employees identified as a close contact and inform them to quarantine at home for at least 14 days after last exposure to the case.  
  • Don will send a general communication to all staff who may have been in the work area where the individual was present while infectious, including those who were not close contacts.  These individuals will be able to come to work, but they will be directed to self-monitor for any COVID-19 symptoms for 14 days.
  • A case is considered to be infectious from 2 days before their symptoms first appeared until at least 10 days after symptoms start. A person with a positive COVID-19 test but no symptoms is considered to be infectious from 2 days before their test was taken until 10 days after their test.
  • A determination will be made as to what rooms need to be closed until the proper cleaning and disinfection takes place. 

​If the person is a student:

The instructor will tell the student to stay home and they will gather the following information from the student:

  • Last name
  • First name
  • DOB
  • Age
    Address
  • Phone #
  • E-mail
  • Date we were notified of a positive test:
  • Was person symptomatic while on campus?
  • Does person have household members that are symptomatic?
  • Does person have household contacts that have tested positive for COVID-19?
  • Was the individual tested for COVID-19?  If so, date.             Location Tested.
  • Does the individual have symptoms?  Onset date?
  • Locations in building while infectious.  Building/wing/floor/room
  • When was the last time they were on campus?
  • Has this person been in close contact with any other students or staff members while infectious (2 days before the onset of symptoms)?  Close contact is defined as within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more cumulatively in a 24-hour period, with or without a mask.  (The Health Care Agency will follow up with social contacts that are not campus-related).

 

  • Notify your Dean.  The Dean will notify the Vice President who will notify the President, Alistair Winter, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Human Resources and Don Maus, Director, Risk Management.
  • Any other communications should not include the name of the individual with the Positive Test due to privacy reasons. You must keep the person's name confidential so you won't be able to ask the class if they had close contact with that person.  You will have to follow up with the person who tested positive to try to determine any close contacts.
  • Send Don the information gathered from the student.
  • Don will contact the OC Health Care Agency to inform them of the positive test.
  • The Dean will send an e-mail to any students identified as a close contact and inform them to quarantine at home for at least 14 days after last exposure to the case.  
  • The Dean will send a general communication to all students or other staff members in the class who may have been in the general area where the individual was present while infectious.  These individuals will be able to come to class, but they will be directed to self-monitor for any COVID-19 symptoms for 14 days.
  • A case is considered to be infectious from 2 days before their symptoms first appeared until at least 10 days after symptoms start. A person with a positive COVID-19 test but no symptoms is considered to be infectious from 2 days before their test was taken until 10 days after their test.
  • A determination will be made as to what rooms need to be closed and if any classes need to be cancelled until the proper cleaning and disinfection takes place. 

 

Communications for Close Contacts of Positive Test Case (Employee)

Dear Employee,

I regret to inform you that we have been notified of a positive COVID-19 test result at your work location and that you may have been exposed to this person and in close contact with them on 10/13/2020 or 10/15/2020.  Due to confidentiality reasons we cannot divulge the name of this individual.  

The CDC classifies this type of exposure as a “Medium Risk". For Medium Risk situations, the CDC recommends that you quarantine at home or in a comparable setting for 14 days, practicing social distancing, and active monitoring of symptoms.  Watch for fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, muscle pain or a loss of taste or smell.  If you become feverish or develop any of the above symptoms, you should stay home and call your healthcare provider for advice. If you need medical care, call the health care provider first so that appropriate precautions can be taken.  Please also let your supervisor know that you are not feeling well as we are monitoring the illnesses from this exposure.  We also encourage you to take advantage of free COVID testing available here at the college.  More information can be found here https://sac.edu/Pages/covid-testing.aspx .

To see the leaves available to you please visit https://intranet.rsccd.edu/HumanResources/Pages/DOCUMENTS-and-FORMS.aspx

If you do test positive for COVID-19 and you believe you contracted a COVID-19 related illness as a result of your employment, you may be entitled to workers' compensation benefits.  To file a workers' compensation, claim please notify my office and complete a DWC-1 Claim Form pursuant to Labor Code Section 5401.

Also, please know that the District has policies protecting employees from discrimination, harassment and retaliation, as mandated under federal and state laws.  Please see BP and AR 3430 Prohibition of Harassment, BP and AR 3410 Nondiscrimination.  These policies continue to apply during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Under these laws, employers are prohibited from discriminating and/or retaliating in any way against employees who have been potentially exposed to or diagnosed with COVID-19.

The District has implemented significant safety measures consistent with the guidelines promulgated by our local Health Care Agency, the California Department of Public Health, CALOSHA, and the CDC to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 while at work and to ensure student and employee safety, including yours, while working at our school sites. These include the provision of face coverings and personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as the establishment of physical distancing requirements, daily health screenings, hand washing, intensified cleaning and disinfecting, and numerous other measures.

We understand that this news is unsettling and that you may have questions and concerns.  For more information, please see the website at https://www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus  or call the Orange County Health Care Agency at 1-800-564-8448 or contact your supervisor.

We want to reiterate our commitment to the health and safety of our students and staff.  Thank you for your understanding during this challenging time.  We look forward to welcoming you back to work the week of November 2nd.

Thank you,

 

Communications for Others in the Department of Positive Test Case (Employees)

Good Morning,

My name is Don Maus and I am the Director of Risk Management for Rancho Santiago Community College District.  The District was recently notified that someone visiting ACC Lab on 11/25/2020 tested positive for COVID-19.  Due to confidentiality reasons we cannot divulge the name of the individual.  At this time and based on the information available to us, the District has determined that you have not had close contact (defined as being within 6 feet for longer than 15 cumulative minutes within a 24-hour period) with this individual.  We are contacting anyone who we think was in the area so you could be aware of this situation and self-monitor for development of symptoms.  Under the CDC Guidance, most casual professional interactions are classified as “Low Risk," meaning that an individual has been in the same indoor environment as an infected person with symptomatic COVID-19, but has not had close contact.

You do not need to be quarantined or do anything differently, but If you become feverish or develop any symptoms, you should stay home and call your healthcare provider for advice.  As an additional precautionary step, ANYONE with concerns about possible transmission are encouraged to take advantage of free COVID testing.  More information can be found here https://sac.edu/Pages/covid-testing.aspx.  If you do test positive for COVID-19 there would be certain leaves available to you.   To see the leaves available to you please visit https://intranet.rsccd.edu/HumanResources/Pages/DOCUMENTS-and-FORMS.aspx

We have cleaned and disinfected the affected areas in accordance with the CDC's Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection Recommendations. 

Please note the District has implemented significant safety measures consistent with the guidelines promulgated by our local Health Care Agency, the California Department of Public Health, CALOSHA, and the CDC to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 while at work and to ensure student and employee safety, including yours, while working at our school sites. These include the provision of face coverings and personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as the establishment of physical distancing requirements, daily health screenings, hand washing, intensified cleaning and disinfecting, and numerous other measures.

For more information, please see the website at https://www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus  or call the Orange County Health Care Agency at 1-800-564-8448 or contact your supervisor.

We want to reiterate our commitment to the health and safety of our students and staff.  Thank you for your understanding during this challenging time .

Thank you,

Don Maus

Director, Risk Management


Communications for Close Contacts of Positive Test Case (Student)

Dear Student,

We were recently notified that a member of the Santa Ana College Campus community tested positive for COVID-19.  We have reason to believe that you may have been exposed to this person and in close contact with them on 10/13/2020 or 10/15/2020.  Due to confidentiality reasons we cannot divulge the name of this individual.  

The CDC classifies this type of exposure as a “Medium Risk".  For Medium Risk situations, the CDC recommends that you quarantine at home or in a comparable setting for 14 days, (until October 31st ), practice social distancing, and active monitoring of symptoms.  Watch for fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, muscle pain or a loss of taste or smell.  If you become feverish or develop any of the above symptoms, you should stay home and call your healthcare provider for advice. If you need medical care, call the health care provider first so that appropriate precautions can be taken. Please also let your instructor know that you are not feeling well as we are monitoring the illnesses from this exposure

We are taking additional measures to ensure our facility is cleaned and disinfected.  We are closing the facility and will undertake thorough cleaning and disinfection in accordance with the CDC's Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection Recommendations. 

We understand that this news is unsettling and that you may have questions and concerns.  For more information, please see the website at https://www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus  or call the Orange County Health Care Agency at 1-800-564-8448 or contact your supervisor.

We want to reiterate our commitment to the health and safety of our students and staff.  Thank you for your understanding during this challenging time.  We look forward to welcoming you back to work the week of November 2nd.

Thank you,


Communications to Others in the Class of Positive Test Case (Student)

Dear Students,

The District was recently notified that someone visiting ACC Lab on 11/25/2020 tested positive for COVID-19.  Due to confidentiality reasons we cannot divulge the name of the individual.  At this time and based on the information available to us, the District has determined that you have not had close contact (defined as being within 6 feet for longer than 15 cumulative minutes within a 24-hour period) with the this individual.  We are contacting anyone who we think was in the area so you could be aware of this situation and self-monitor for development of symptoms.  Under the CDC Guidance, most casual professional interactions are classified as “Low Risk," meaning that an individual has been in the same indoor environment as an infected person with symptomatic COVID-19, but has not had close contact.

You do not need to be quarantined or do anything differently, but If you become feverish or develop any symptoms, you should stay home and call your healthcare provider for advice.  As an additional precautionary step, ANYONE with concerns about possible transmission are encouraged to take advantage of free COVID testing available here at the college.  More information can be found here https://www.santa-ana.org/covid19/free-covid-19-testing-santa-ana-residents.

Please note the District has implemented significant safety measures consistent with the guidelines promulgated by our local Health Care Agency, the California Department of Public Health, CALOSHA, and the CDC to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 while at work and to ensure student and employee safety, including yours, while working at our school sites. These include the provision of face coverings and personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as the establishment of physical distancing requirements, daily health screenings, hand washing, intensified cleaning and disinfecting, and numerous other measures.

For more information, please see the website at https://www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus  or call the Orange County Health Care Agency at 1-800-564-8448 or contact your supervisor.

We want to reiterate our commitment to the health and safety of our students and staff.  Thank you for your understanding during this challenging time .

 

Communication to Employee Who Tests Positive

Good Afternoon,

My name is Don Maus and I am the Director of Risk Management for Rancho Santiago Community College District.  I was informed that you recently tested positive for COVID-19 and that you have begun to quarantine.  You should stay home until:

  • at least 10 days after your symptoms started; and
  • 24 hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications (e.g., Tylenol, Advil); and
  • your respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough shortness of breath) are improving.

I also wanted to let you know about the resources available to you.   Here is a link to the leaves that you might able to use while you are off work https://intranet.rsccd.edu/HumanResources/Pages/DOCUMENTS-and-FORMS.aspx.

If you believe you contracted a COVID-19 related illness as a result of your employment, you may be entitled to workers' compensation benefits.  To file a workers' compensation, claim please notify my office and complete a DWC-1 Claim Form pursuant to Labor Code Section 5401.

Also, please know that the District has policies protecting employees from discrimination, harassment and retaliation, as mandated under federal and state laws.  Please see BP and AR 3430 Prohibition of Harassment, BP and AR 3410 Nondiscrimination.  These policies continue to apply during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Under these laws, employers are prohibited from discriminating and/or retaliating in any way against employees who have been potentially exposed to or diagnosed with COVID-19.

 I know this can be very difficult and stressful situation for you.  As a reminder, the District has an Employee Assistance Program (“EAP") and it is available to you and those living within your household.  Here is the link www.healthadvocate.com/rsccd or you can call them directly at (866) 799-2728.  They are available 24 hours a day.

I reported your positive test to the Orange County Health Care Agency and that you might receive a follow-up phone call from them.  They are tasked with doing contact tracing and they may be reaching out to you.  For more information, please see the website at https://www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus  or call the Orange County Health Care Agency at 1-800-564-8448.

​I hope you feel better soon.  If you have any questions don't hesitate to reach out to me.

 

Sincerely,

Don Maus

Director, Risk Management

 

Supervisor Communications

Supervisor may issue a communication to those that need to know (Department Chairs, other instructors, etc.) that mention that there was a positive case of COVID, that all faculty, staff, and students who may have been exposed have been notified, that cleaning is taking place, and an ETA on when the class/office/service area will be open.

 

 

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