Protecting Yourself Outside Patient Care and in the Community
September 7, 2022
It is well established that health care workers are much more likely to be infected with COVID-19 when they are not at work. Because of this, we want to provide you with the tools you need to protect yourself not just while in an UMMS facility, but in your daily life as well.
COVID-19 Protection Measures Outside of Patient Care Settings and in the Community
- Stay up to date with vaccination – Staying up to date with vaccination, as defined by the CDC, is the number one thing you can do to protect yourself and others. If you are not already vaccinated, make an appointment today. If you are vaccinated and eligible for a booster and have not received one, make an appointment today.
- Mask up –
- Masking is required for all patient contact or while in public spaces within UMMS health care facilities, regardless of vaccination status. In these settings:
- Team members who are up to date with vaccination should wear at least a well-fitting medical mask (no gaping); KN95/N95 recommended
- Team members who are not up to date with vaccination should wear at least a KN95 mask or N95 respirator
- Unvaccinated team members are required to wear an N95 respirator for all patient contact and at least a KN95 mask at all other times
- Team members are not required to wear masks in solely administrative buildings with no clinical areas or in private spaces in hospital buildings, such as meeting or break rooms. In these settings:
- It is recommended that team members who are not up to date with vaccination wear masks at all times when with others
- When capacity exceeds 50 people, universal masking is required, regardless of vaccination status; this guidance is based on the likelihood of an individual with COVID-19 present in a group, at the current community COVID-19 prevalence rate (2-3%)
- You are also encouraged to continue using the UMMS Tiered Approach to Infection Prevention Practice and Presence at the Workplace (UMMS Tiered Approach) even outside the workplace—where most health care worker infections are acquired—and choose to continue masking in most indoor public places.
- Dine safely –
- If you are not up to date with vaccination, whether you’re on a meal break during your shift or out to lunch on your day off, opt for eating outside, if possible, where distancing is less restrictive and airflow is better.
- If you are up to date with vaccination, you should feel safer sharing mealtimes with others in small groups while community transmission is low; however, in large indoor gatherings, you should consider keeping masks on when not eating.
- Protect your children –
- High-quality masks – Children are a common source of infection among team members. Protect the children in your family by ensuring that they are up to date with vaccination and are using high-quality masks, such as KN95s, in indoor public places.
- School safety – Ask if your child’s school has taken appropriate measures, including improving air quality and requiring vaccinations for staff and eligible children.
- Travel safely –
Keep in mind that the highest risk of transmission occurs when both an infected individual and an exposed individual are unmasked. Even as little time as 5 continuous minutes (or 15 minutes in a 24-hour period) is considered a high-risk opportunity for infection.
We understand that these measures impose constraints on your daily activities, but taking steps such as these will help you protect yourself, your family, and others around you.
Thank you for all you do to keep yourself and others safe inside and outside our hospitals.
UMMS Infection Prevention