Ongoing COVID-19 Safety and Precautionary Measures
Ongoing COVID-19 Safety and Precautionary Measures
To Our Community:
As we move into our third year of navigating the trials and tribulations of the COVID-19 pandemic, we want to take a moment to express our utmost gratitude to our patients, staff, and community at large for continuing to support our practice in so many ways. It truly takes a village. It is because of you that we have been able to maintain our high standard of care from the onset of the pandemic to today and into tomorrow.
We want to acknowledge some concerns that have been brought to our attention regarding ongoing precautionary measures being taken to help ensure everyone’s safety while visiting Clarus.
Since the onset of the pandemic, our COVID-19 Safety Team has and continues to follow strict guidelines set by federal, state, and local health agencies. These guidelines are ever-changing, which is why we always err on the side of caution by following the most stringent recommendations. These precautionary measures include:
- Screening all visitors to our facility for fever and cold symptoms (this includes all doctors and staff). Anyone with cold symptoms or a fever over 100 degrees, determined to be high risk or who is showing overt signs and symptoms of any illness, is asked to leave the building and call us to reschedule their appointment.
- Requiring everyone to wear a mask at all times while visiting our clinic. Anyone not willing to wear a mask is not permitted inside the building. Young children and people with medical conditions that make them unable to safely wear a mask may be permitted to enter if they pass our COVID-19 screening protocol.
- Asking patients and doctors to limit speaking during exams and treatments, when social distancing cannot be maintained.
- Practicing strict hand hygiene and frequently sanitizing surfaces in our facility throughout the day.
- Protective barriers between patients and staff where possible.
- Rearranged spaces to meet social distancing requirements.
- Caregivers and/or family members who accompany patients to their appointments are asked to wait in their vehicles unless their presence is necessary.
- All physicians and staff are highly trained regarding safe and sterile protocols and will continue to practice all exams and procedures with great care.
- Any member of our staff who tests positive for COVID-19 is required to follow the recommended isolation guidelines for healthcare workers. In addition, any member of our staff who may have been exposed to that person is required to follow the recommended CDC guidelines for testing and/or quarantining.
Though they are vital, these precautions can sometimes result in increased wait times when we are unexpectedly short-staffed. However, the health and safety of our patients and staff comes first. We will continue to operate by that credo.
As we strive to provide the high level of eyecare we are known for here at Clarus, we offer our most sincere promise that we will continue to do everything in our power to help protect our community. As with every space outside one’s household setting, exposure is sometimes beyond any of our control despite our adherence to recommended safety measures.
To that end, if we believe a patient or member of our staff has been exposed to COVID-19 within our building, we have and will continue to follow appropriate protocols surrounding communication to offer those affected the greatest chance at containment.
We thank you for taking the time to read and share this memo. For questions or comments, please feel free to contact our Outreach Coordinator, Sasha Korthuis, via the contact information below:
Sasha Korthuis
Clarus Eye Centre
PH: 360-923-4363