ICD Small-Group Outdoor Program Protocols during Covid-19
Overview:
We at ICD take our Covid response seriously and have established the following plans and policies below to ensure the health of our community. We know that the impacts of our programs play a profound role in empowering and supporting those living with diabetes and we regularly see significant impacts to our participants health as it relates to both diabetes and mental health outcomes.
There are multiple factors to be considered in health and safety. The risks of Covid when combined with diabetes are well documented to be most severely impacted by age and blood sugar management. Thus it was important to consider and weigh the continuation of these empowering programs with the controls we can make to limit the risks of covid 19.
Our leadership team has always been health focused and will be reinforcing the values and measures detailed below.
Venue Requirements:
Some venues, whether indoor or outdoor may require participants to wear masks. Please have masks and sanitizer available for yourself/your family to use as needed. Specific venue requirements will be shared per event.
Public Health Guidelines and COVID-19
ICD will emphasize preventive hygiene practices with our staff and participants. Maintaining good hand and respiratory hygiene are very important personal practices that help reduce the risk of infection or spreading infection to others.
- Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water aren’t available, use a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
- When coughing or sneezing, cough or sneeze into a tissue or the bend of your arm, not your hand. Dispose of any tissues you’ve used as soon as possible in a lined waste basket and wash your hands immediately afterwards
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
If a participant develops symptoms while at the program, the participant will be fully supported, monitored for progression of symptoms while isolating the rest of the group from possible transmission.
Guidelines for determining whether a staff member or participant should remain at home or isolate from the group:
● Fever/chills (feeling hot to the touch, a temperature of 37.8 degrees Celsius/100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher)
● Cough that’s new or worsening (continuous, more than usual)
● Shortness of breath (out of breath even when sitting or walking
● Sore throat (not related to seasonal allergies or other known causes or conditions)
● Runny, stuffy or congested nose (not related to seasonal allergies or other known causes or conditions)
● Unusual level of fatigue
● Headache that’s unusual or long lasting
● Nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, stomach pain (not related to other known causes or conditions)
● Feeling unwell for an unknown reason
Program Cancellations:
While we hope to be able to go ahead with our programs as planned, changes to Public Health Guidelines may affect our ability to continue.
Where Public Health recommendations cause a program cancellation, ICD will inform all participants in a timely manner. Any program fees paid to ICD for cancelled programs will be refunded, minus a 5% processing fee. Refunds can take anywhere from 5-15 days to be reflected in the participant’s account.