Health Screening

Minimum standards are recorded in this spreadsheet. The current minimum standards for Health Screening are: 

• Comply with Health screening requirements as defined in the tab on this workbook

• The base perimeter must have a controlled method of ingress and egress (for administration of health screening), this should not impede other considerations such as fire exits.

As part of our effort to ensure that incoming volunteers are healthy, all new arrivals will be requested to monitor their temperature for 14 days pre-arrival. Any temperature above 100.4°F or 38°C must be reported to the program’s Volunteer Relations Coordinator to cancel the volunteer’s arrival, or change travel plans until the incoming volunteer is symptom free. 

In an effort to identify and isolate sick individuals as quickly as possible, all personnel on the program will be reminded to complete a daily health assessment. This health screening should include: 

• A temperature check (temperature should be below 100.4°F or 38°C)

• Answers to the following questions:

  • Have you felt like you had a fever in the past day? 

  • Do you have a new or worsening cough today? 

  • Do you have any of the following symptoms?:

    • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

    • Fatigue

    • Muscle or body aches

    • Headache

    • New loss of taste or smell

    • Sore throat

    • Congestion or runny nose

    • Nausea or vomiting

    • Diarrhea

• If an individual has a temperature above 100.4°F or 38°C or any of the above symptoms, they should immediately be directed to the designated isolation area, and the appropriate staff should be notified. The sick individual should wear an appropriate face covering. 

A negative PCR test is required for volunteers upon entry on base.

The most effective way to quickly identify and prevent the spread of new infections is testing. We need testing to be readily available to our staff and volunteers. Testing has been a challenge throughout the Coronavirus Pandemic as concerns of accuracy and efficiency have surrounded the testing process internationally. Countries that have had the most success in controlling the spread of Covid-19 have been able to implement effective testing strategies, and to make testing widely available. There are several types of testing that we would like to have available to our program teams.  

Sentinel Antigen Testing 

Sentinel Antigen Testing is a process of testing apparently healthy individuals in a population to catch infections early and to help determine how widespread infection may be in a community. While home test kits are not currently available, if they do become available, we will implement this strategy. There are two prominent methods of Sentinel Antigen Testing: 

• Testing one individual per bubble group each day

• Testing all personnel on program at predetermined intervals, for example once a week

Testing a potential case 

While any individual displaying symptoms of Covid-19 should be isolated immediately, testing can allow us to determine if that isolation needs to continue, and can assist us knowing what actions are needed on program, such as contact tracing, due to the exposure to a confirmed positive case. 

An individual with a potential case of Covid-19 should be transported to the predetermined health care facility for testing as soon as possible, the same day infection is suspected if possible. Follow the guidelines outlined in this  document for transport. 

Determining if appropriate testing is available

We have added a section for Covid-19 related questions on our standard Health Care Facility Assessment Form. Please see the section on Covid-19 for specific questions to ask local health care facilities to determine whether or not there is adequate testing available in the area. 

Testing for suspected cases of Covid-19 should be available on request within a 1 hour drive (urban) / 3-4 hours (rural) from base. Test results would ideally be available the same day, but must be available within 5 days. The individual receiving the test should remain in isolation until the test results are received. 

What to do if a test is temporarily not available

If, for some reason an individual with a potential case of Covid-19 cannot access a test, actions should be taken as if the individual has a confirmed case of Covid-19 until they are able to receive a test.