COVID-19

The aim of these protocols is to reduce potential coronavirus transmission by:

1. Required ongoing self assessment for signs of Covid-19 related illness in both patient and the practitioner
2. Reducing all non-treatment related interactions amongst all people with the Coastal Office environment
3. Specifying Hand Hygiene requirements for practitioner and patients
4. Avoiding face touching
5. Enhanced cleaning protocols
6. Appropriate is of personal protective equipment (PPE)
7. Meeting professional obligations, particularly related to informed consent and liability insurance

1.  Self Assessment for Symptoms of Covid-19: For patients and Practitioner

• Patients will be informed of their responsibility to perform a self assessment prior to their arrival for the appointment upon booking. This will be verbally communicated to them through email and in person.
• The therapist is responsible for performing self-assessment prior to arrival at the office.

If either party exhibits symptoms related to Covid-19, they are responsible for immediately cancelling all appointments. Symptoms include:

• Fever - Cough - Chills - Shortness of Breath
• Sore throat or pain with swallowing - stuffy or runny nose
• Loss of sense of smell or taste - headache
• Muscle aches - fatigue - Loss of appetite 

**Covid-19 symptoms may range from mild to severe. Patients and Practitioner MUST cancel appointments, regardless of the severity of symptoms**

• In order for treatment to commence, practitioner and patient must agree that the therapeutic benefit of therapy outweighs any potential consequence of treatment, including the possibility of viral transmission.
  • Patients with higher risk profiles and/or weakend immune systems should consider alternative care and postpone treatments

Upon Arrival:

• Patients will be required to arrive on time to their appointments, and make reception aware of their arrival
• Patients and staff will advise each there of their current Self-Assessment results upon arrival to the office
• Patients will also receive a Covid-19 screening questionnaire upon arrival. Practitioner is responsible for checking Covid-19 screening tests filled out by patients, as well as receiving and documenting Covid-19 specific verbal consents from patients  prior to treatment

2.  Physical Distancing:

• Patients must arrive unaccompanied unless previously arranged with therapist
• To maintain social distancing, the reception area is not to be used for gatherings or waiting
• appointment times will be staggered, and a minimum of 15 minutes will be added to the booking time to allow for enhanced sanitization between patients 
• Bookings will be completed through online booking program, over the phone or in person with the therapist prior to leaving the treatment room
• Patients will receive any documents they need prior to their appointment, and have them filled out online, or BEFORE their scheduled appointment outside the office

Within the Treatment Room

• Therapist is required to complete a verbal consent with patient to confirm understanding that physical distancing is not possible during treatment, and of the risks related to Covid-19

3.  Hand Hygiene:

• Immediately upon entering the Office, the patient will be asked to wash their hands with soap and water
• Therapist will wash their hands with soap and water after disinfecting spaces, before donning or doffing PPE, before and after greeting patinets

4.  Face Touching

• The coronavirus can be transmitted by touch if droplets are on the hand when it touches the face, as it can transfer infected droplets to the mouth, nose or eyes
• Patients will wear their own masks.

5.  Enhance Cleaning Protocols

• Clean and disinfect all high-touch surfaces between patients, and throughout the day
• All linens will be single use, and carefully laundered off-site
• Patients are encouraged to leave personal belongings outside of the office. 

6.  Personal Protective Equipment 

• Therapist must have cloth or paper/disposable (surgical) masks, worn at all times.
• Respect patients individual personal boundaries and support their requests for PPE to be worn by either individual

7.  Professional Obligations

• Therapist only practices at one location
• In the event that a patient alleges they caught Covid-19 from the therapist
  • The staff member will immediately call public health at 8-1-1 to report alleged transmission, providing both their name, and the patient details
  • All treatments provided by the therapist will cease until Public Health has investigated and provided direction
  • The therapist will immediately self-isolate until Public Health has investigated and provided direction.
• Informed Consent
  • Therapist will educate each patient that treatments involve some risk of Covid-19 transmission
  • Therapist will educate each patient of standard protocols to mitigate risk where possible, but ultimately risk is never reduced to zero
  • The patient must consent to treatment while acknowledging the risk involved
  • Therapist will document patients consent in advance and at every treatment

Asymptomatic transmission is an unavoidable risk of practice. The protocols have been put in place to help mitigate risk as outlined. Documents will be provided as required to maintain adherences to these protocols.