Communicable disease plan

Keeping us all safe and healthy

last updated 5 April 2022

The Sorrento Centre is committed to the health, safety and well-being of our guests, volunteers, visitors, staff and neighbours.

We encourage all our guests to take precautions to guard their own health and protect others, so if you feel more comfortable to wear a mask, we welcome you.

This communicable disease plan replaces the COVID-19 safety plan in place at the Sorrento Centre in various forms since March of 2020. The measures set out here have been put into place to ensure safety from communicable diseases and apply to staff, volunteers, guests, visitors and neighbours. They must be adhered to at all times. At Sorrento Centre, the person who is responsible for monitoring public health information is the Executive Director, Michael Shapcott. He can be reached by email at michael@sorrento-centre.bc.ca or by phone / text at 250-299-7233.

Should there be a need to increase safety measures due to an elevated risk in the community or industry we work in, additional precautions will be communicated and must be followed.

Stay at home / isolate: Anyone with symptoms of a communicable disease (fever, chills, cough, diarrhea) is asked to remain at home when they are unwell. Staff have extensive sick leave provisions. Guests can rely on generous cancellation policies. Anyone who exhibits symptoms upon arrival at the Centre or become ill during their stay should immediately withdraw from others and contact HealthLink BC at 8-1-1. During office hours, please contact our office at 250-675-2421 (do not visit the office). After hours, please call our after-hours line at 250-463-9166. We will provide practical assistance in terms of rapid testing, isolation and meals.

A person should only return to the Centre when they have been free of symptoms for the appropriate period of time specified by public health authorities.

Personal hygiene / cleaning: Everyone is encouraged to use safe hygiene practices such as:

Frequent hand-washing for at least 20 seconds. Soap and warm water for handwashing shall be available in all wash areas.
When sneezing or coughing, use a disposable tissue or the crease of the elbow to cover the mouth and nose rather than using the hands.
Careful monitoring of personal health on a daily basis and, if they experience symptoms of illness, seek medical assistance either on-line at HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 or through their local medical practitioner or clinic.

When the risk of COVID-19 is elevated, further protections must be practiced such as:

All workstations and entries/exits will have hand sanitizers, alcohol, and disinfectants.
No sharing of food, beverages, or utensils.
Mandatory mask-wearing.
Avoid unnecessary contact and consider distancing yourself physically.
Adhere to any other items recommended by your local public health department, including mandatory vaccination and boosters.

Facility, vehicle, and equipment hygiene:

Cleaning products containing soap or detergent will be used to clean the surfaces. Additionally, said products would be installed in all workstations.
When the risk of contracting COVID-19 is low, daily cleaning is sufficient. Otherwise, as risk increases, more frequent cleaning will be required. Frequent cleaning is also required in high-traffic areas.
When risks are low, disinfection will occur once daily; however, as risks increase, disinfection will occur more frequently. Disinfectants will be available at all workstations. Frequent disinfecting is also required in high-traffic areas.
If a sick person has been in the facility within the last 24 hours, the space will be cleaned AND disinfected immediately.
Cleaning personnel are instructed in the proper use of cleaning products.
Safety precautions regarding use of cleaning products are posted.
Sorrento Centre will ensure cleaning products and disinfectants are safe to use by individuals with asthma.
PPE will be available in sufficient quantities and sets to address the identified hazard.
Windows will remain open throughout cleaning and disinfecting to ensure ventilation.
Cleaning products and defects are labelled to prevent accidental ingestion or being mixed with other chemicals.

Ventilation: Sorrento Centre will ensure fresh outdoor air to help dilute naturally-accumulated contaminants and pollutants that accumulate indoors to support good indoor air quality.

Sorrento Centre will ensure the design, operation, and maintenance of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems follow applicable Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, or other solutions such opening windows.
Filters will be changed regularly, and HVAC systems will be inspected.
Occupancy of facilities / vehicles will be restricted in communicable disease outbreaks.
During risk of communicable disease spread, windows will be opened.

Employee vaccination: Sorrento Centre recognizes the public health benefits of vaccination programs in reducing illness, disability, and death from community-acquired diseases and will support public health messaging about the importance of vaccines against communicable diseases. Employees are encouraged and supported (including paid time) to participate in vaccination programs.

Employee mental health: Sorrento Centre recognizes that psychological safety risks exist, even more so during times of increased communicable disease risk. Emotional stress, anxiety, or concern are natural during times of widespread disease outbreaks. Staff and visitors who believe they are suffering from negative mental health consequences are encouraged to seek assistance immediately. At Sorrento Centre, we have the following supports available to staff:

Extended Health Care benefits available to all permanent employees who enroll in the plan, which includes payments for a variety of medical practitioners.
A telephone-based Employee Assistance Plan with referral to extended services.
Sick leave, unpaid and paid leave provisions.

Right to refuse unsafe work: Sorrento Centre respects the legal right of employees to refuse work they have reasonable cause to believe is unsafe due to a thing or condition that may expose a worker to an excessive or unwarranted risk of injury or occupational disease. Employees should follow the step-by-step government mandated work refusal process, as outlined in our Work Refusal Process. To initiate a work refusal, a worker must immediately report the circumstances of the unsafe condition to their supervisor or employer. There will be no negative consequence or discriminatory action for employees who exercise their right to refuse in good faith.

Privacy of information: All personal or medical information acquired by Sorrento Centre in relation to communicable diseases will be treated with utmost confidentiality according to mandated privacy standards.

Resources: As per WorkSafeBC: “Workers and employers with questions or concerns about workplace exposure to COVID-19 can call WorkSafeBC’s Prevention Information Line at 1-888-621-SAFE. You’ll be able to speak to a prevention officer to get answers to your questions, and if required, a prevention officer will be assigned to assess the health and safety risk at your workplace.”