Update: How to make your own masks out of a T-shirt:
​

Please read the disclaimer under http://www.alpinehomecare.biz/alpine-homecare-blog/how-to-make-your-own-masks-instruction-video-by-alpine carefully before watching the videos

Governor Jared Polis issued a statewide stay-at-home order for Colorado, effective 6 am Thursday 03/26/20 until 04/11/20.

​Critical workplaces are exempt from the statewide mandate and include:

-  Health care operations.
-  Critical infrastructure, including utilities, fuel supply and transmission, public
   water, telecommunications, transportation, hotels, and food supply chain.
-  Critical manufacturing, including food, beverages, chemicals, medical
   equipment, pharmaceuticals, sanitary products and agriculture.
-  Critical retail, including grocery stores, liquor stores, farms, gas stations,
   restaurants and bars for takeout, marijuana dispensaries but only for medical
   or curbside delivery, hardware stores.
-  Critical services, including trash and recycling, mail, shipping, laundromats,
   child care, building cleaning and maintenance, auto supply and repair,
   warehouses/distribution, funeral services, and animal shelters.
-  News media.
-  Financial institutions.
-  Providers of basic necessities to economically disadvantaged populations. 
-  Construction.
-  Defense.
-  Public safety services like police and fire.
-  Vendors that provide critical services to the workplaces above.

This COVID-19-related special enrollment period allows Alpine employees, who were previously eligible for health insurance as of 01/01/2020, but decided to waive coverage, to sign up for health coverage effective 04/01/2020.

Enrollment must be completed by 03/31/2020.

Please note that currently enrolled employees cannot change plans, but they can add dependents to their current plan. Employees who waived coverage can choose from the two plans offered by Alpine.

United’s base plan costs $680.91 per month for the employee only option, of which Alpine will cover 50%, unless the remainder exceeds 9.78% of the employee’s monthly salary, in which case Alpine will cover the difference. United’s Choice Plus plan costs $726.58 per month and Alpine will cover 50% of the base plan’s cost (i.e. $320.46 per month).

We must receive your enrollment request in our office before 03/31/2020.
 
For additional information please visit http://www.alpinehomecare.biz/alpine-health-insurance.html or call the office at 303 309 6206.

 ​What about Masks???
Should I wear one or should my client wear one when I am providing personal care? What about homemaking? What about when I’m out running errands (shopping/laundry)?

Here’s what the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) states about masks:
​
People who are not sick do not need face masks to protect themselves from respiratory viruses, including COVID-19. 

People who are ill should wear a mask, if available, to protect family members or whenever and where ever a mask is needed to prevent the spread of germs.

However, the CDPHE also states:
Although most individuals who contract COVID-19 do not become seriously ill, persons with mild symptoms and asymptomatic COVID-19 illness may place other vulnerable members of the public at significant risk.

​In an ideal world we would all have access to masks and would be wearing them all the time (just in case) to protect from the people who may be infected but not showing symptoms. However, we currently live in a situation where even hospitals who treat infected patients are starting to run out of masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE).

-  We have no access to buying ANY masks. They are currently not available
   anywhere and that is not likely to change in the near future.
-  Staying home is the safest way to avoid getting sick, and continuing to
   receive in-home care gives you the best chance  of staying healthy.

But, if you are stuck in a situation where you think you need a mask or you would prefer to use a mask just in case when providing services, here are a few tips on home-made masks:

​Firstly and foremost, these masks are not very effective. In the best case scenario, where it fits really well and many layers of fabric can be used, you might get about half the effectiveness of the least effective masks, the disposable “surgical” masks. That’s very little. But if you believe that you are in a situation where any protection is better than none at all, then you might consider using a home-made mask.

​Second, handle it properly. Wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water before applying a mask to your face as it will always require touching your face to adjust the mask for the best possible fit.  Once it’s on, leave it in place and if you need to adjust it, start again with washing your hands before adjusting the mask. Then, wash your hands again after adjusting or removing the mask, because it may actually have germs on it either from you because you have been breathing into it, or from someone who was close to you and breathed in your face.

Third, work hard to get a good fit!! Even if you find the best possible material in the world for preventing transmission, if your mask does not fit snugly against your skin all the way around your mouth and nose, it will not work very well to protect you or others around you.

Fourth, the best policy is to stay away from work and other household members if you feel like symptoms are developing, and that includes clients. If you come into your client’s home and suspect that the client is sick, the first thing to do is to step out of the client’s home, call the Alpine office and follow instructions from there.

A last note of information – obviously, these home-made masks need to be handled with clean hands and also need to be changed and washed frequently. We recommend washing them after each use in hot water, using bleach if available and or boiling them in water for 10 minutes after washing to disinfect.

Please read above notice before watching the video!

1) How to make a mask from a T-Shirt:

Mayor Hancock issued a stay-at-home order for the City and County of Denver. It will go into effect starting at 5 p.m. tomorrow March 24 and will be in place until at least April 10. The order requires all individuals to shelter in place, except for certain essential activities and work to provide essential business and government services or to perform essential public infrastructure construction.  

Exemptions:
-  Healthcare operations
-  Home-based care for seniors, adults and children
-  Grocery stores
-  Pharmacies
-  Utilities
-  Water, sewer, gas and electrical services
-  Public work and housing construction
-  Skilled trades such as electricians and plumbers
-  Airport operations
-  Oil and gas operations
-  Roads and highways
-  Public transportation
-  Waste collection
-  Internet and telecommunications systems
-  News media
-  Hardware stores
-  Banks and financial services
-  Childcare facilities
-  Laundromats 
- Postal services
- Restaurants for to-go 
-  Essential government operations

Personal prevention and preparation:
Stay informed with reliable sources of information and share accurate information with neighbors, friends and co-workers, especially people who may have difficulty receiving or understanding the information.

1) There are effective ways to reduce the risk to yourself and the people you care about.
-  Frequently and thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water for at least
   20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer with at     
   least 60% alcohol.
-  Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash, or
   use your inner elbow or sleeve.
-  Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
-  Stay home if you’re sick, and keep your children home if they are sick. 
-  Clean surfaces in your home, and personal items such as cell phones, using
    regular household products.

2) Be calm and prepared
-  FEMA: Guidance for COVID-19 preparedness
-  CDC: Getting your household ready for COVID-19
-  CDPHE Environmental Cleaning Guidance for COVID-19
- English | Spanish | Simplified Chinese | Vietnamese | Somali

3) People who are not sick do not need face masks to protect themselves from respiratory viruses, including COVID-19. Sick people should wear a mask if they have one --> to protect family members and in any scenario where needed to prevent the spread of germs.

Dear Alpine Clients and Staff!

In light to the world-wide Coronavirus outbreak, Alpine would like reassure you that we are committed to two things: 1) Keeping you, our clients and care givers safe and 2) Providing you with uninterrupted service in the safety & comfort of your home. Here is what we are doing and what you can do to keep yourselves safe:

Home Care Clients Are Safer Than Most!
Since you are already receiving care in your home on a one-on-one basis, CONGRATULATIONS, your disease transmission risk is much lower than for someone who lives in a nursing home, rehabilitation center, assisted living facility or receives care in the community. In fact, receiving services at home, rather than going out personally, helps to better protect you from exposure to flu, colds and COVID-19 that you could otherwise experience in public places. 

What has Alpine been doing to protect our clients and our caregivers?
Alpine’s care givers have always been trained to wash their hands and perform other important hygiene tasks to prevent disease transmission. Additionally, ALL of our care givers have been instructed to follow CDC disease prevention guidelines and SPECIFICALLY TO STAY HOME IF THEY FEEL SICK.
Alpine will, as always, monitor the health condition of our clients to ensure that they can get timely medical help, if needed. In addition, care givers have been instructed to inform their supervisors, if a client displays flu-like symptoms (sneezing, coughing, fever, etc.). In order to minimize contagion, we also ask that CLIENTS LET US KNOW IN ADVANCE OF A VISIT, IF THEY FEEL SICK. Alpine will then help determine the best course of action for a client’s health & safety.  
As always, call us at 303-309-6202 if you have any questions about your services. Alpine will continue to closely monitor any new recommendations from the CDC and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and we will keep updated on important information regarding your health and safety. For more information on what you can do to protect yourself and your family, please visit the CDPHE and CDC websites.

Here are a few tips that can prevent disease transmission, based on CDC recommendations:

1) Wash your hands! Wash them diligently and frequently. Use soap or hand sanitizer.
2) Do not touch your face, eyes, mouth! Do not pick your nose!
3) Say Good-bye handshake, hello elbow bump!
4) If you are healthy, you do not need a face mask! They are for sick people.
5) Sanitize objects that you and a lot of other people touch.
6) Avoid large group gatherings where possible. Try to keep 6 feet apart when in groups. 7) If you are sick, stay at home! And self-isolate.
8) Have enough household items/groceries/medicine on hand so you can stay home for 2 weeks.