As we continue to battle through this latest wave of COVID-19, we’re reminding all Texas Children’s team members to excel at our safe practices while at work, at home and in public.
Texas Children’s remains among the safest places to work – even with a surge of positive cases in our communities – because of the precautions we’ve put in place, including universal masking, hand hygiene, daily screening and maintaining (and growing) our high vaccination rate. Although this has proven successful for us throughout the pandemic, we’re counting on you to remain diligent and to practice safety 24/7, at work and at home.
Safety 24/7
- Continue to mask everywhere. At Texas Children’s, masking is required in both patient and non-patient care areas, regardless of vaccination status. This includes wearing a mask from the time you leave your personal mode of transportation to when you return. In addition, it is highly recommended you always wear a mask while in public, as it remains an effective way to limit the spread of COVID-19.
- Be safe on shuttles and elevators. Capacity limits for our shuttles and elevators are continuously evaluated to ensure safe operations. Please do your part by avoiding overcrowding in these areas. For elevators, this typically means no more than 4-6 individuals at any given time. On shuttles, please do not stand in the aisles. If a shuttle is ever at capacity, please wait for another so you can be seated. If you tend to ride the shuttle during peak hours, please consider arriving slightly earlier to ensure safe transportation. Regardless of vaccination status, wearing a mask throughout your shuttle trip is required. As an additional safety precaution, please do not eat or drink while riding the shuttle to ensure your mask is worn at all times.
- Get vaccinated. Texas Children’s now requires all workforce members to get vaccinated against COVID-19, or have an approved exemption, with the first dose required by Sept. 21. If you have not done so already, please get this highly effective protection against COVID-19 as soon as possible.
- Practice hand hygiene. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Clean your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Please also use the hand sanitizers present at all hospital campuses and care locations.
- Report any symptoms of COVID-19, or any exposures to a COVID positive person in which appropriate PPE was not utilized, to Employee Health – even if you have already been vaccinated.