Home (Alone?) for the Holidays – Tips for Safer Family Gatherings this Holiday Season – FACS COVID-19 Update #18

While many of us endured the disappointment of significantly limited gatherings over Thanksgiving, the case rates are climbing. We are heading into the holidays where friends and family get-togethers are even more important and are often for extended periods of time. Thanksgiving dinners are usually limited to a few hours together, while Christmas gatherings could have family members traveling greater distances and staying overnight for extended periods. The best way to eliminate the risk of infections, by having everyone stay in their own homes, is likely to be more than disappointing. So what, if any, are the alternatives? In this…

When Disasters Collide – FACS COVID-19 Update #17

While in the continued grip of a global pandemic and the need for the public to follow significant preventative measures, the US is faced with the onset of other natural disasters. On the West Coast and along the Continental Divide there are a rash of wildfires that have erupted this month, and on the East and Gulf Coasts hurricanes and severe weather storms have threatened several states. The steps taken to prevent injury or worse during these events may not always be in perfect alignment with the COVID-19 preventative measures. Social distancing becomes a challenge when people are evacuated to…

Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) and Wildfire Smoke Preparation Planning

Wildfire preparation plans are essential for helping staff at schools, hospitals, and other commercial buildings prepare for smoke intrusion and other complications that may arise from wildland fires, but they often fall short on covering something that can be just as critical: power outages. Last year’s fire season in California provided real-life examples of the tremendous impact an extended power loss can deliver to communities. A major take-away was that power blackouts can occur as a precaution during heavy winds, even when there are no fires nearby and the threat doesn’t seem to exist. Many people and businesses were not…

Getting a Handle on COVID-19 Case Response – FACS Update #16

As more businesses reopen and the number of cases of COVID-19 climb in the community, organizations are having to navigate the challenges, twists and turns of managing a proper response to a known or suspected case. In this discussion we talk about the fundamentals of case response in non-healthcare settings and some of the lessons learned from the front line which can inform the development of an effective and efficient response protocol. Case Response Fundamentals A COVID-19 case response protocol can be broken down into five basic steps:

1. Identification & Reporting. What triggers a case response action? The short