ACCMA News

City of Berkeley Releases Requirements for Control of COVID-19

Effective April 17, 2020, The Health Officer of the City of Berkeley has issued an Order to certain licensed facilities requiring masking, temperature monitoring, self-evaluation of symptoms, cancellation of group activities, notification of transport, among other requirements. Full details of the requirements and of the types of facilities affected can be found in the order.

This Health Officer Order is issued based on evidence of increasing occurrence of COVID-19 within the City and throughout the Bay Area and that COVID-19 can easily spread between people who are in close contact with one another. The Order is intended to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure in Covered Facilities in order to protect vulnerable populations residing at certain Covered Facilities.

To fulfill the Order’s requirements, all Licensed Facilities and Other Agencies must:

  • Implement temperature screenings for all staff, contractors and other essential visitors before allowing entrance or commencing services in the facility.
  • Ensure all individuals who enter or provide services to the facility self-evaluate for mild to moderate symptoms related to COVID-19. These include fever, sore throat, coughing, shortness of breath, chills, sneezing, gastrointestinal symptoms, or otherwise not feeling well.
  • Prohibit entry to anyone who has a temperature of 100.0° F or 37.8° C or greater, feels like they have a fever, or has symptoms identified through self-evaluation.
  • Implement masking among staff, residents and other essential visitors to cover their nose and mouth while in the facility and, for residents, outside their rooms. Appropriate and recommended Personal Protective Equipment must be worn by staff when available if there is a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 at the facility.
  • Cancel all group activities and communal dining. Staff and residents who must leave their rooms should practice physical distancing and remain 6 feet apart.
  • Notify acute care hospitals, Emergency Medical Services and transport agencies if a resident who is suspected or confirmed of having COVID-19 is being transferred to an acute care hospital. If the facility already has COVID-19 case(s), then they must notify EMS and the receiving hospital of potential COVID-19 exposure.

Avoid, as much as possible, staffing scenarios that use employees who have worked at another Licensed Facility or Other Agency in the past 14 days while maintaining adequate staffing at the facility. Facilities must keep a daily log of employees present, identifying any other facilities the employees have worked at in the previous 14 days, and that log must be produced immediately if requested by any staff member of City of Berkeley County Public Health.