A Path of Care network agencies have cared for more than 400 patients with SARS-CoV-2 (or COVID-19) since the virus arrived in Oklahoma.  

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We have not had a single confirmed case of COVID-19 virus transmission between our employees and patients since the pandemic began. 

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The reason? We follow strict infection control procedures to protect our patients, just as we did long before the COVID-19 vaccine was available. This includes:

• Following regulatory protocols. Our policies follow requirements of the:
  
  • Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Rule.
  • Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s (OSHA) Protecting Workers: Guidance on  Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace.
  • Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state and local authorities.

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). We have a full supply of masks, gloves and other PPE on hand to  protect our staff and patients. We follow very stringent precautions to wear different types of PPE  depending on the work we are doing in the home. We’ll often wear masks or glasses for certain kinds of  medical care. If we are going to be caring for a wound or incision, we’ll use gloves and follow special care  techniques. We may ask patients and family members to wear masks when we are working in the home. Our employees are trained to put on, remove, and dispose of PPE properly for infection control.
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• Disinfecting our hands. We wash or disinfect our hands frequently. This removes germs to help prevent  infection. The CDC says this: “Regular handwashing is one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid  getting sick, and prevent the spread of germs to others.”
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• Staying home if sick. Our employees check for symptoms of infection before and after each workday. If  they are sick, they do not come to work. If symptoms develop during the day, they leave work  immediately and undergo testing before returning to work. We have specific Return to Work protocols  based on CDC and OSHA guidelines.
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• Vaccinations. Vaccines can be very effective. We encourage all employees to be vaccinated against  various diseases and give them time off from work to be vaccinated. Employees meet federal COVID-19  vaccine requirements, either through vaccination or approved exemptions for medical or religious  reasons. 

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We now know we cannot rely ONLY on vaccines to protect our employees and patients. Viruses can  mutate, and COVID-19 is not the only virus that can spread. So we follow additional precautions to  protect our patients and employees.

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We have proven during the pandemic that using strict infection control precautions can allow us to work  safely in homes, just as we did before COVID-19 vaccines were available. Even fully vaccinated  employees must still follow other infection control techniques during care.