Step 1: Assess the risks at Cats at Home Feline Hospital

All staff have been vaccinated and received the appropriate booster vaccines to ensure they are at minimum risk of contracting the virus.

The virus that causes COVID-19 spreads in several ways. It can spread in droplets when a person coughs or sneezes. It can also spread if one touches a contaminated surface and then touches one’s face. 

The risk of person-to-person transmission increases the closer one comes to other people, the more time one spends near them, and the more people one comes near.

The risk of surface transmission increases when many people contact the same surface and when those contacts happen over short periods of time.

The closer together workers are, and the longer they are close to each other, the greater the risk.  

Step 2: Implement protocols to reduce the risks

First level protection (elimination): Limiting the number of people at Cats at Home Feline Hospital

We are a small feline-only, full-service veterinary hospital with 8 staff in a facility of approximately 1000 square feet (93 square metres).  A maximum of 5, but usually 4 staff will be on site at any time. 

Within Cats at Home, we have identified areas where physical distancing is difficult and have identified tasks and processes where staff are close to one another; a cloth face mask or surgical mask may be worn by staff whenever a physical distance of 2 metres may not be maintained (frequently when working on our small feline patients).

A staff person is asked to consider not coming to work at Cats at Home if they have any symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, chills, new or worsening cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, and new muscle aches or headache) or have been knowingly exposed to COVID-19, or have been tested and are awaiting results. 

Staff members with COVID-19 like symptoms will be asked to self test and remain home as necessary.

Fourth level protection: Disinfection

See Rules and Guidelines.

We have reviewed the information on the use of a mask as appropriate.    We understand the limitations of masks to protect the wearer from respiratory droplets. We understand that masks should only be considered when other control measures cannot be implemented.  We have trained workers in the proper use of masks when necessary.

We have reviewed the information on cleaning and disinfecting surfaces as is required in a veterinary medical setting.  

Our workplace has enough handwashing facilities (4) on site for all our staff.  We have policies that specify when staff must wash their hands and we have communicated good hygiene practices to staff. Frequent handwashing and good hygiene practices are essential to reduce the spread of the virus as well as any other communicable disease.

All surfaces that are in contact with our feline patients are routinely cleaned/disinfected after every contact/exposure/use as is appropriate in a veterinary medical setting.

Frequent touched surfaces such as but not limited to telephones, switches, keyboards, washroom surfaces, door handles, taps and counters are cleaned/disinfected as needed, at workstations throughout the day.  Given the small size of our staff, this role will be shared and the responsibility of each staff member on duty.

Staff are trained in appropriate methods of cleaning/disinfection using soap, detergent, bleach, Prevail (viral disinfectant), Lysol wipes, hand sanitizer, alcohol, and chlorhexidine.

 Step 3: Monitor and update Safety Plan as necessary

This COVID-19 Safety Plan will be modified and updated versions provided to staff and published on our website as necessary.