ST. CROIX — The V.I. Department of Human Services announced late Tuesday the closure of its Mars Hill Head Start location to staff (students have not been attending in person) and pausing food distribution until next Thursday, March 4, after two employees tested positive for Covid-19.
D.H.S. said it has activated its Covid-19 mitigation protocols to address the confirmed cases among staff, to safely resume food distribution and operations next week. D.H.S. in January had closed the Kingshill Head Start facility because of a similar Covid-19 situation.
According to the release, Head Start team members have been notified to ensure their safety while D.H.S. follows HIPAA guidelines to safeguard everyone’s confidentiality. "The Department of Health is working to ensure that all close contacts are notified, quarantine and tested accordingly," D.H.S. said.
Actions being takin by D.H.S.
• A notification went out to affected staff.
• Individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by the Department of Health for testing and ability to resume work safely
• Sanitization of all affected units are being conducted this week
• All staff are encouraged to self-quarantine and immediately contact the Department of Health and their supervisor, if they begin experiencing any of the symptoms of the coronavirus.
- V.I. DOH website: https://doh.vi.gov/
- COVID-19 Hotline: (340) 712-6299 or (340) 776-1519
D.H.S. its staff are continually encouraged to continue maintaining Centers for Disease Control and Prevention best practices to prevent the spread of Covid-19. They include:
- Wear your mask (covering your nose and mouth while in the workplace)
- Maintain social distance
- Wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds, often
- Wear appropriate other PPE while in contact with other staff or clients
- Use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol when you cannot wash hands
- Routinely clean and disinfect frequently used surfaces
- Share FACTS not rumors
- Contact your manager, supervisor or administrator if you do not have access to appropriate PPE while at work
The Department of Human Services said it remains committed, in these trying times, to serving on the front lines to care daily for members of our community.
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