Outline of White Elephant Resorts Housing Procedures for COVID-19
As White Elephant Resorts reviews protocols for reopening our restaurants, hotels, and retail shops, our priority is to ensure the highest level of safety for residents, staff and team members alike. There is an understanding that additional policies and regulations will alter operations island-wide. The outline below highlights our housing procedures for the 2020 season. The policies below will continue to be updated with best management practices from the CDC, Federal, and State guidelines.
Designated Quarantine/Isolation housing units:
Housing units, located at 94 Pleasant Street, will be used as quarantine units for the 2020 season. These units consist of studio apartments with private bathrooms and kitchenettes. There are currently two available units, with provisions for two additional units if needed.
Housing arrivals/pickups:
Prior to employee arrival:
• Temperature of all employees will be taken, and employees will be asked if they have experienced any symptoms of COVID-19 before employees enters vehicle at pickup.
• If employee’s temperature reading is below 100° (pass), employee will be taken to assigned housing unit.
• If employee’s temperature reading is above 100° (fail) or employee has exhibited symptoms of COVID-19, employee will be taken to 94 Pleasant Street for self-isolation and given a copy of our company COVID-19 directions along with CDC guidelines of what to do if you are sick: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/sick-with-2019-nCoV-fact-sheet.pdf
• Employee’s supervisor will be notified immediately that the employee is sick and will remain in contact with employee throughout sickness.
• All employees must wear masks and use hand sanitizer provided before entering Housing transport vehicle.
All housing buildings and units will have the following flyers posted for residents:
• Housing informational flyer
• Symptoms of COVID-19- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/COVID19-symptoms.pdf
• Washing Hands Guidelines- https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/pdf/HH-Posters-ENG-Kitchen_1.pdf
• Stay at home if you are sick- https://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/pdf/stay-home-youre-sick-item5.pdf
• Before you come to work, hygiene poster- https://www.servsafe.com/ServSafe/media/ServSafe/Documents/Before-You-Come-To-Work.pdf
• Sanitary guidelines for Laundry will be posted in employee Laundry areas.
• Any updates will be reviewed by the housing manager and updated as new information comes out.
Once employees are living in employee housing:
• If an employee is currently living in employee housing and tests positive or has symptoms of COVID-19, they will be taken to 94 Pleasant Street for quarantine.
• If an employee lives in a double unit and tests positive, their roommate will be asked to self-isolate in their current unit until it is determined if they are also COVID-19 positive or exhibiting symptoms. Both employees will be moved to different units at 94 Pleasant Street to self-isolate until testing results are available.
• The previous vacant unit and all common areas will immediately be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected following all CDC guidelines.
• If the result of the employee’s COVID-19 test is positive, they will remain at 94 Pleasant Street for the duration of the quarantine.
• All residents of the previous housing unit will be notified that an occupant of their building tested positive to COVID-19. No names will be given to the residents to protect privacy.
• Any individual that had contact closer than 6 feet for 15 minutes or longer in the last 14 days will be notified that they have had contact with someone who may have COVID-19.
• Managers will remain in contact with the employee throughout the duration of the quarantine.
• The employee will provide the Housing Manager with a reasonable list of groceries which will be delivered and dropped off outside of the quarantine unit.
• If the employee is too ill to cook for themselves, the kitchens at one of our two company restaurants will provide meals each day delivered to the outside of the housing unit.
• Once the employee has completed their 14-day quarantine, received clearance from their doctor, tests negative and no longer exhibits symptoms related to COVID-19, the employee will be moved back to their normal assigned housing unit.
• If the units at 94 Pleasant Street are unavailable due to quarantine, then other appropriate units in housing stock or at other company properties will be made available to be used as quarantine sites.
Common Areas inside all housing properties:
• As recommended by CDC procedures, COVID-19 prevention supplies will be provided in all common areas, such as soap, alcohol-based hand sanitizers that contain at least 60% alcohol, tissues, gloves and trash baskets.
• Cloth face coverings will be supplied to all employees and they will be required to use them when in common areas in housing.
• Employees will be required to socially distance (6 feet apart) in common areas.
• Employees will not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, or eating utensils. Our company will provide disposable plates, cups and eating utensils. Non-disposable food service items used will be handled with gloves and washed with dish soap and hot water or in a dishwasher.
• Employees will use gloves when removing garbage bags and handling and disposing of trash.
• Non-essential visitors in shared areas will be limited or avoided.
• Staff will avoid entering residents’ rooms or living quarters unless it is necessary. Staff should use virtual communications and check ins (phone or video chat), as appropriate.
Shared bathrooms:
• Shared bathrooms will be cleaned regularly by employees using company provided disinfectant.
• Employees will empty trash cans regularly.
• CDC Hand washing information flyers will be provided in each bathroom.
• Employees will be instructed that sinks could be an infection source and should avoid placing personal belongings and toiletries directly on counter surfaces.