COVID Protocols

POLICY: The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians will screen all patients, staff, and visitors during the Covid-19 pandemic.
PURPOSE: To provide Covid-19 screenings for all individuals who enter the health center in an effort to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 within the Maliseet community.
SCOPE: Clinic Supervisor, Clinic Nurse(s), Medical Provider

1. If health center employees have any of the following symptoms they are not to report to work and must notify their immediate supervisor:
   a. Persistent Cough
   b. Sore Throat
   c. Fever
   d. Body Aches
2. When reporting to work daily, employees of the health center must wear a mask and will go directly to the reception area and take their temperature immediately upon entering the building. They will record their temperature on the employee screening form.
   a. If an employee’s temperature is over 100.4 they must report directly to their supervisor and will be sent home until they are free from fever without using a fever reducer for a consecutive period of 24 hours and can verify that they have not developed any other symptoms.

1. Upon entering the building, all patients and visitors will ring the doorbell in the foyer.
2. Patients are asked to refrain from bringing visitors to their appointments with the exception of the following: Patient requires a case manager or medical support person, or inability to secure childcare. Individuals accompanying patients will be subject to the same screening protocols as
   patients. * Additional masks and hand sanitizer will be available for patients and community members at the clinic/health department.
3. A clinic staff member will meet the patient/visitor at the door, provide a mask if the patient/visitor is not already wearing one, and record their name and phone number on the Covid-19 screening form.
4. The clinic staff member will take the patient/visitor’s temperature and record it on the Covid-19 screening form. They will ask the screening questions and document the patient/visitor’s response on the Covid-19 screening form.
   a. If the patient/visitor has a temperature below 100.4 and answers no to all screening questions they may proceed into the building for their intended purpose.
   b. If the patient/visitor has a temperature of 100.4 or above and/or they answer yes to any of the screening questions they will be asked to await further instruction. * Consideration will be made if the outdoor temperature is hot or if the patient/visitor was physically active prior to entering the building, or wearing a hat, which may affect body temperature. In this case, the patient will be asked to rest for 5 minutes and temperature will be retaken.
   c. If screened positive, the staff member who screened the patient/visitor will present the screening results to the provider to determine if Covid-19 testing is warranted.

If testing is not warranted: The patient/visitor will be allowed to enter the building for their intended purpose.

If testing is warranted:

• Patients who are on foot will be asked to walk around the west side of the building and a staff member will meet them there to bring them to the testing site.
• Patients who are in a vehicle will be asked to drive around to the west side of the parking lot and remain in their vehicle. A staff member will meet them and either perform testing in their vehicle or direct them to the testing site.