MISD COVID-19 PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PLAN

    MISD COVID-19 PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PLAN

    This plan is based on information available from the U.S. Department of Health and Human     Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”), the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”), and Michigan Executive Orders No. 2020-36 (April 3, 2020), 2020- 32 (April 9, 2020), 2020-39 (April 24, 2020), 2020-40 (May 18, 2020), 2020-97 (May 21, 2020) and 2020-110 (June 1, 2020). It is subject to change based on further information provided by the CDC, OSHA, and other public officials. Manistee   Intermediate School District (MISD) may also amend this Plan based on operational, state and local guidance, and educational needs.

    Responsibilities of MISD:

    MISD has put in place the following practices and measures as a part of this plan to protect staff members, students and parents from the spread of COVID-19 for the duration of what is now referred to as the COVID-19 pandemic:

    • MISD will provide notice regarding this Plan to each employee and will post it on the MISD web page, under the COVID-19 tab.
    • MISD will restrict the number of workers present on-premises to no more than strictly necessary to perform the in-person work in order to maintain its operations, pursuant to their work assignment. All persons who are approved to work on-premises in-person are required to follow the on-premises health check prior to starting work (see responsibilities of employees section, below).
    • MISD will promote work from home as guidance suggests. MISD will also promote work-related meetings, including meetings held pursuant to the Open Meetings Act, MCL 15.261 et seq, through telephonic conference or video conferencing applications. Meetings subject to the Open Meetings Act will use an option that ensures that both the general public and members of the public body are able to participate.
    • MISD will mandate that individuals who are on-premises maintain a distance of at least six feet from one another to the maximum extent possible. 
    • MISD has increased general standards of facility cleaning and disinfection to limit exposure to COVID-19, and has adopted protocols to clean and disinfect in the event of a positive case in the workplace.
    • MISD has implemented screening protocols to prevent workers from entering the premises if they display symptoms associated with COVID-19, or who have had contact with a person with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19.
    • MISD will provide personal protective equipment (“PPE”) as appropriate for the work activity to be performed, as well as soaps and disinfecting supplies for staff for routine use. Pursuant to the Executive Orders, MISD will attempt to make available non-medical grade masks for staff who must work on-premises, but all staff are encouraged to bring and use cloth masks to ensure sufficient mask supplies can be maintained at each building.
    • MISD has increased general standards of facility cleaning and disinfection to limit exposure to COVID-19, and has adopted protocols to clean and disinfect in the event of a positive case in the workplace. 
    • MISD has adopted protocols to limit the sharing of tools and equipment to the maximum extent possible and to ensure frequent and thorough cleaning of tools, equipment, and frequently touched surfaces.
    • The Superintendent may designate administrative and supervisory staff to be responsible and will inform them to immediately isolate any person who shows symptoms of COVID-19 while at work.

    Responsibilities of Employees:

    For the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic period, employees are expected to:

    • Follow basic infection prevention measures, including but not limited to:
      • Frequent and thorough hand washing for at least 20 seconds.
      • Follow appropriate respiratory etiquette (e.g., covering sneezes and coughs with crook of arm).
      • If you are sick, please stay home. You may use personal illness leave if available.  If you believe your illness is related to the Covid-19 pandemic, please contact Devin Wegner, Human Resources at dwegner@manistee.org
      • Refrain from using other workers’ desks, phones, offices or other work tools when possible.
      • Adhere to social distancing guidelines established in this plan.
      • Wear a covering over the nose and mouth while in the buildings and working around others. For most jobs, cloth and non-medical grade face masks are appropriate.
    • Only enter buildings when it is necessary to conduct business that is essential to the basic operations of the district that support the wellbeing of employees and/or students, and has been approved for that purpose.
    • Employees must complete the MISD Screening Process prior to starting work each day on the premises.
    • If a particular employee needs ADA accommodations to adjust any of these Employee Responsibilities, please provide immediate notice to your supervisor.

    Identification and Isolation of Sick Individuals

    MISD has implemented the following procedures for the prompt identification and isolation of employees:

    • Employees are to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Currently, that means that employees should report:
      • Atypical cough (non-productive or dry)
      • Shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing
      • Or, if two or more of the following symptoms are present:
        • Fever
        • Chills
        • Repeated shaking with chills
        • Headache
        • Sore throat
        • New loss of taste or smell
        • Muscle pain

    Employees who experience a cough and/or shortness of breath and/or any two of the other noted symptoms, follow CDC guidelines, and contact your health provider immediately. More information is available at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html.  

    • Employees who exhibit signs and symptoms of COVID-19 must remain home until they are symptom-free for 72 hours (3 full days) without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom altering medicines. To the extent practical, these employees are required to obtain a doctor’s note clearing them to return to work.
    • Employees who learn they have been in close contact with a confirmed-positive individual (at work or outside of work) must alert a supervisor of the close contact and self-quarantine for 14 days from the last date of close contact with that individual. At this time, “close contact” is defined as within 6 feet for a prolonged period of time.
    • Employees who are diagnosed with COVID-19 are prohibited from entering any MISD building or local district sites, will be directed to self-quarantine at home, consistent with any guidance from proper health dept.,  medical or governmental authorities. Subject to physician orders to the contrary, employees who test positive and: (1) are symptom-free for at least 7 days since the positive test may return to work; or (2) experience the symptoms, must care for themselves at home (or be cared for in hospital) and may return to work when they are symptom-free for at least 72 hours and at least 7 days have passed since symptoms initially appeared. MISD may require employees to provide medical documentation clearing them to return to work.

    If MISD learns that an employee has tested positive, MISD will notify the Health Department. MISD will follow Health Department instructions to conduct an investigation to determine the identities of co-workers who may have had close contact with the confirmed-positive employee within the prior 14 days and direct those individuals to self-quarantine for 14 days from the last date of close contact with that employee. If applicable, MISD will also follow the Health Department protocol to notify any subcontractors, vendors, or visitors who may have had close contact with the confirmed positive employee.

    Pursuant to CDC guidelines, employees who show symptoms of COVID-19 while at work should be separated from other staff and visitors and sent home.

    Workplace Flexibilities and Protections

    Provisions for paid leave time will be made according to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the Paid Medical Leave Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, any applicable MISD provided leave benefits, and in accordance with collective bargaining agreements.  Human resources is directed to work with affected employees to determine which benefits are available to use during a COVID-19-related absence. Staff and supervisors are directed to explore reasonable accommodations as appropriate for employees who may have a disability that prevents them from complying with one or more of the directives in this Plan. Please contact Devin Wegner, Human Resources at dwegner@manistee.org.

    Overall Workplace Safety and Contingency Plans

    While there is no specific OSHA standard covering exposure to COVID-19, existing OSHA standards may apply to protect workers from such exposure at work. To the extent such standards do apply to this Plan and MISD work sites, they shall be implemented to help minimize the spread of COVID-19. If a confirmed case of COVID-19 is reported by an employee, MISD will determine if it meets the criteria for recording and reporting under OSHA’s rules. MISD will follow federal, state, and local government recommendations regarding the development of contingency plans for situations that may arise as a result of outbreaks.

    Confidentiality/Privacy

    The confidentiality of all medical conditions will be maintained in accordance with applicable law and to the extent allowable under individual circumstances. When disclosure is required, the number of persons who will be informed of an affected individual’s identity will be limited to those necessary to comply with reporting requirements, administration of benefits, and to limit the potential transmission to others. Notwithstanding the foregoing, MISD reserves the right to inform other employees and stakeholders that an unnamed MISD employee might have been exposed to COVID-19, so those individuals may take measures to protect their own health. Except as detailed above, staff who believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19 at work by a fellow employee may only share the details of the exposure with their personal healthcare provider or District Health Dept. #10.https://www.dhd10.org/

    Effective Date

    This plan is effective on June 5, 2020. Manistee  Intermediate School District may also amend this Plan based on operational, state and local guidance, and educational needs.

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