Summer’s End and It’s Time to Mask Again???
Our staff is very grateful that we have been able to be vaccinated and resume more of a “normal” life this spring and summer, including taking family vacations, many of them postponed from the summer of 2020, when travel was severely restricted. Even while the world around us has opened up more, we have continued to be very careful both during our workday and in our personal lives. We continue to wear masks when visiting clients, even when both parties are vaccinated, out of an abundance of caution that we might inadvertently transmit COVID-19 or a variant of the original virus. All of our staff performs a daily wellness check and self-quarantines and/or gets tested for Covid-19 anytime we or a family member showed any symptoms of a respiratory illness. We are carefully tracking the information coming out of the CDC that indicates that the Delta variant may be transmissible by people who have been vaccinated. We also note that the District of Columbia and nearly every county in Maryland has re-instituted mask requirements in all public places.
As we did this spring, we will continue to be very careful and follow the following guidelines:
- Remain masked during visits, while transporting clients, and especially when accompanying a client to medical appointments.
- Remain masked when out in public.
- Limit our socialization with family and friends who have not yet been vaccinated.
- Assist our clients in being vaccinated and help make appointments for our homebound clients. If a booster vaccine is recommended, we will assist all of our clients in receiving this as well.
- We are following the rules at the various skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities when we visit clients there.
In an effort to keep up with this ever-changing situation, we have listed below the links to find the latest information from the District of Columbia, Montgomery County & Prince George’s County and the State of Maryland on vaccination schedules, and FAQ regarding the vaccine:
https://covidlink.maryland.gov/content/vaccine/
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/vaccine/
https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/3730/COVID-19-Vaccination
For more information about mRNA research and the COVID-19 vaccine:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-are-mrna-vaccines-so-exciting-2020121021599