It is a new Coronavirus that was originally detected in Wuhan, China, that has become a global pandemic of respiratory disease spreading from person-to-person. This situation poses a serious public health risk. The federal government is working closely with state, local, tribal, and territorial partners, as well as public health partners, to respond to this situation. COVID-19 can cause mild to severe illness; older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions might be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person. Person-to-person spread means:

• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
• From respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can possibly land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby, be inhaled into the lungs, or land on surfaces that people touch.
• People who are infected but do not show symptoms can also spread the virus to others.
• There is evidence that under certain conditions, people with COVID-19 seem to have infected others who were more than 6 feet away. These transmissions occurred within enclosed spaces that had inadequate ventilation. Sometimes the infected person was breathing heavily, for example while singing or exercising.

There are a wide range of symptoms of COVID-19 reported, ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness:

• Fever or 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
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Symptoms occur anywhere from 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus.

• This is a rapidly evolving situation and the risk assessment may change daily. The latest updates are available on the CDC's Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) website.
• Older adults and people of any age who have certain underlying medical conditions might be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
• Health care workers are at an increased risk for exposure to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases due to the nature of their work, which typically involves direct, hands-on care.

• BAYADA has an Infection Prevention Program that provides the highest standards of infection prevention practices as recommended by the CDC and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
• The annual education Staying Healthy: A Guide to Infection Prevention booklet outlines all of these practices; if you have misplaced your copy, please contact your office or go to www.bayada.com/stayinghealthy.asp.
• BAYADA is following CDC travel-related guidelines, BAYADA also adheres to any state-specific domestic travel advisories and/or executive orders.
• BAYADA continues to develop educational resources as the situation evolves and is sending frequent communication updates to offices and field employees with guidance to best support you and our clients.

• Open communication with your office is a key element to keeping both you and your clients safe.
• In general, please do not come to work sick.
• Alert your office if you or anyone you have been in contact with have any of the symptoms listed above that are a change in baseline condition.
• Alert your office if you or someone you have been in contact with are traveling to or have traveled internationally in the past 14 days, or if you are travelling to domestic location that would subject you to quarantine requirements upon your return per any state-specific travel advisories or executive orders.
• Alert your office of any communication that is shared with you by your clients, their families, your friends, or relatives regarding possible exposure to COVID-19 so we can provide you with any additional information to keep everyone safe.
• Consistently follow all recommended practices for hand hygiene and standard precautions, as well as COVID-19 specific protocols including the use of surgical masks and eye protection for all client interactions.
• View this at-a-glance guide to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Guidelines.