Updated COVID-19 Safety Procedures:

• In Clinic – Daily Procedures FOR PATIENTS: 
  • We ask that each patient wear a mask the entire time they are indoors within our clinic; please bring one from home if possible otherwise we will provide one for you. 
  • If you are unable to mask for any reason or if the patient is a small child, please contact us directly so we can notify your therapist prior to your session. It is up to your therapists’ discretion whether they feel comfortable seeing you mask-free; this is a personal decision and depends on their level of comfort with the increased risk to the therapist and thus their families.
  • Your PT will mask throughout your session and we’ll also be running a HEPA/UVC filter throughout your session to trap & kill any virus particles. All sessions are one-on-one in a private treatment room. All of our PT’s are fully vaccinated.
  • You will be asked several screening questions (below) and your temperature will be checked with a non contact thermometer (OK if below 100.4 deg F) before welcoming you into the treatment room. 
  • Patient is to sign treatment waiver for COVID-19 (each patient must sign once/during their first in-person session OR they may sign online beforehand)
  • Don’t Come In If: 
    • You’ve had close contact with a CONFIRMED case of COVID and
      • It’s been < 5 days (and no symptoms), or
      • You’ve tested negative and are not experiencing repeated exposure
      • If you’ve tested positive or are experiencing symptoms, please see below for guidelines to return to clinic after COVID diagnosis
    • You have a fever of 100.4 or greater (without medications) 
    • You’ve been diagnosed with COVID in the past 10 days or if you still have a fever or if you have not had symptom improvement  for > 24 hours 
    • It’s a gray area if you have any of the symptoms below – please contact our front desk and/or your PT directly as this will be your PT’s determination based upon their comfort level/risk tolerance: 
      • Fever of 100.4 or above 
      • Chills
      • Cough 
      • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
      • Fatigue 
      • Muscle or body aches 
      • Headache 
      • New loss of taste or smell 
      • Sore throat 
      • Congestion or runny nose 
      • Vomiting
      • Diarrhea
    • There is no penalty for any illness-related cancellations as our #1 priority is to keep everyone safe. 
• Screening Questions:
  • Screening questions will be utilized as a self-screening tool for therapists prior to each shift, and will also be asked at the beginning of each session for each patient 
  • Have you at any time been diagnosed with COVID-19? If yes, when was your diagnosis? 
  • Are you or have you been experiencing any COVID symptoms (see list above) within the past 2 weeks? (If yes, especially if the answer is ‘multiple symptoms’, this will be up to the Physical Therapists’ discretion)
  • Has anyone you’ve been in close contact with tested positively for COVID-19 within the past 5 days? 
  • NOTE: If indicated, please send the patient home and schedule a Telehealth visit for them instead. We recommend they get tested, follow CDC guidelines and follow up with their MD as needed. 
  • EMPLOYEES are to follow these same guidelines.

IF SOMEONE HAS RECENTLY HAD COVID: 

• If a patient or employee has recently been diagnosed with COVID, here’s when it’s appropriate for them to come into clinic: 
  • They are free of fever (greater than or equal to 100.4°F) without meds and have 
  • One of the following: 
    • 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared with no fever and symptom improvement for > 24 hours OR 
    • They’ve tested negatively for COVID-19 and are able to provide such documentation 
• Therapists may still treat patients via Telehealth from home if they are feeling capable of doing so 

 IF SOMEONE HAS RECENTLY BEEN EXPOSED TO A CONFIRMED CASE OF COVID: 

• Per CDC guidelines, this person needs to quarantine for 5 days…
  • And then may return to being out in public with strict mask usage for the next 5 days ONLY if they have no symptoms
  • May return to clinic/public after negative testing if less than 5 days (PCR test is most accurate)
  • If symptoms develop, this person would need to follow the guidelines above of a person with COVID infection and we recommend they get tested. 
• What if my family member has COVID? 
  • You’ll need to quarantine for 5 days from the last date of exposure. 
    • Example 1: My husband has COVID, I was last exposed 3 days ago as he has been fully isolating in our guest bedroom. That means I need to quarantine for 2 more days (total of 5) and if I don’t have symptoms at that point, I can return to clinic with a mask on for the next 5 days. My husband will need to isolate until 10 days have passed since symptom onset and/or positive test. He can leave isolation after no fever for > 24 hours and symptom improvement for > 24 hours. If I am exposed again from contact with him before he is out of isolation, my 5 day quarantine period will start over again. 
    • Example 2: My 3 y.o. son has COVID and it is not possible to isolate him in his room alone of course. I am exposed daily to COVID thus once his 10 day period of ‘isolation’ is over and his symptoms are improving + no fever for 24 hours; once this is complete, that’s when my count of the 5 day quarantine period will begin (as it needs to start on the last day of exposure). 
    • Example 3: My husband was exposed at work but does not have symptoms. Can I still come in to therapy? 
      • Answer: YES. You can still come in to therapy as you were not directly exposed. This changes if your husband tests positive or if he develops symptoms. The best course of action is for your husband to mask at home when in the presence of others and quarantine per CDC guidelines. 

NOTE: These procedures were developed and updated as of 1/4/22 with close reference to CDC guidelines and protocol at that time. We understand that this is a fluid situation and encourage everyone to consult with and follow directly CDC guidelines as the gold standard first and foremost and then to use this document for guidance as a second reference. Thanks so very much for your help to keep everyone as safe as possible!