Cold-like symptoms? Stay home | How Joe's is Prepping for the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
As a childcare provider, dance studio and performing arts center, Joe’s Movement Emporium is putting in place practices that ensure the health & safety of all individuals who access our organization. Due to the rapid spread of the highly contagious respiratory coronavirus now known as COVID-19 Joe’s staff are putting the following procedures into place immediately.
1. When in doubt, STAY HOME. All audience, artists, class participants, workshop attendees, Club Joe’s parents & children, and staff who feel or exhibit any respiratory symptoms should not come to Joe’s to prevent the spread of virus.
Stay at home if you begin to feel unwell. Wait out even mild symptoms such as a slight headache or runny nose in your own home.
If you have a fever, cough and/or difficult breathing, seek medical care early. Call your health care provider in advance so you can be quickly directed to the correct facility.
2. What are we doing? Here’s how Joe’s staff will do our best to prevent any kind of viral spread:
Deep cleaning all areas of use daily. Arts ed supplies and toys will be specially cleaned.
Club Joe’s parents will be notified through our “incident report” mechanism of any health changes or symptoms in any of our staff or children
Keep physical contact minimal in our classes
Encourage Club Joe’s children to follow healthy procedures
3. What if Joe’s closes? If Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) or the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) close, Joe’s will be closed.
Check Joe’s website regularly before attending a performance or class
Call 301-699-1819 during hours of operation
Look for an email from us. If you are unsure if we have your contact information, sign up for our weekly e-newsletter. It’s a fun way to stay informed about everything going on at your favorite arts organization.
4. What can you do? Here are the easiest and most basic ways to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:
Avoid close contact with individuals exhibiting any kind of symptoms.
Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth with your hands.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap is not available use alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces if your workplace.
Anyone with a fever should stay home from Joe’s until fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications according to the Maryland Communicable Disease Summary.
Please check out these resources:
COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE FROM PGCPS: click here
HELPING KIDS DURING THIS HEALTH CRISIS: click here
Some of our Favorite Suggestions to Implement in your life today
HAND WASHING:
Do: Wash hands with soap for at least 20 seconds. Try singing 'Happy Birthday' or 'The Alphabet Song' while washing. Hitting this time mark is essential. Keep your hands pointing down so dirty water doesn’t run into your sleeves. Scrub every part of your hand, including the back of your hand and thumbs. Scrub under fingernails. Consider keeping them short as longer fingernails harbor more bacteria.
"You really need to focus on your fingertips. A lot of people wash their palms, but if you think about what you touch the most, it's your fingertips," said Dr. Michael Chang, Infectious Disease Specialist at UTHealth/UT Physicians.
Don't: Touch the faucet or sink. That will only contaminate your skin. Don’t forget to fully dry your hands. Wet hands spread germs easier than when they are dry.
AT WORK:
Do: Wipe down everything at your desk or in your office at least once a week to stop new germs from growing.
Do: Leave disinfectant sprays to rest on the surface for at least 10 seconds before wiping it down.
Do: Wipe everything down with a fresh wipe or cloth. That includes your mouse, keyboard, and entire desk chair. Speaking of your keyboard, flip it over when you leave the office every day.
Don't: Forget to use the one-way wipe method. You never want to wipe in one direction and go back over it in the opposite direction because you will deposit germs you just cleaned up.
Don't: Dry a surface after using an antibacterial wipe. You have to let those air dry.
"I've sometimes seen people use the wipe and then wipe it off and again. That's just not as effective. You need to let that air dry, so the disinfectant in the over-the-counter stuff will have enough time to kill the germs," said Dr. Chang.
Flu viruses can live for two to eight hours on hard surfaces. Disinfect doorknobs, light switches, and remote controls frequently, using sanitizing wipes.
AT HOME:
Do: Wipe your feet! Keep a clean doormat outside every entrance of your home, and take off your shoes when you enter the house. Wash the soles of your shoes regularly with hot, soapy water.
Do: Wipe off your phone! If someone with the flu has touched, sneezed, or coughed on your phone, the next person to pick up the device could become infected. Clean your phones frequently, with antiviral wipes or sprays. Make it a habit to wipe off the phone every time you answer or hang up.
Do: Decontaminate the kitchen! Stovetops, cutting boards, sinks, faucets, dishcloths, and sponges are all breeding grounds for germs. Wipe down kitchen surfaces daily, and run cutting boards and sponges through a sanitizing cycle on the dishwasher to eliminate contamination.
Do: Wash all your cleaning gear. Dust rags, mops and other cleaning tools may just be spreading germs around your house instead of eliminating them. Wash all cleaning gear in hot, soapy water after use; a drop or two of bleach will do for disinfecting. Also, try switching to disposable cleaning cloths during the height of the flu season.
Do: Humidify your home. The moisture that a humidifier adds to the air can help prevent the spread of cold and flu viruses.
A NOTE FOR PARENTS: Talk with your kids about your fears. For example: “It is really scary that so many people are sick. It’s all they talk about on the radio. But I know that the news doesn’t talk about the fact that everyone else is doing fine or all the people who are only a little sick. And I know that if one or more of us does get sick, we have a good plan and other people are looking out for us.”