In the workplace, when staff are following our established PPE protocols including continuous masking and required eye protection, there have been no occupational COVID-19 transmissions. Outside the workplace however, there have been several employees who have contracted COVID-19 after not observing community standards on masking around others.

With the community reopening, it is easy to become complacent at home and at work, and Valley is worried about our staff’s safety. We would like to share some “Lessons Learned”. These describe some incidents that were near misses for potential staff exposures to the coronavirus. Our goal in sharing these with you is to learn from them and to be mindful of how to make the best choices to protect yourself and your loved ones, as we continue to live, work, and play during this evolving pandemic.

We know there are ongoing updates in our methods for controlling exposures to COVID-19, while looking for additional ways to protect our staff and patients amid an ever-changing body of evidence and recommendations. As always, you can reference the COVID-19 Safety and Infection Prevention Plan for all the ways VMC is keeping our workplace safe and for a list of our current safety and PPE protocols. Reference the PPE Supply Plan for conservation strategies in place.