Covid-19 Protocols

This plan describes how we will protect our staff and customers from contracting and spreading the Covid virus.

The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is known to cause infection in the respiratory system and spreads from person-to-person through direct contact or over short distances by droplets through coughing or sneezing. A person may also get COVID-19 by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching their mouth, nose, or possibly eyes.

COVID-19 may have classic symptoms such as feeling feverish, new or worsening cough, pneumonia, and/or difficulty breathing. Other symptoms of COVID-19 can include sore throat, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, runny nose or nasal congestion, among others.

Symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to COVID-19, although some carriers may also show no symptoms.

Key Response Concepts:

1. Screening for Covid: For employees and customers

2. Controlling Risk of Transmission: By 2 m distancing, wearing masks, open air, cleaning, communication, inoculation

3. Responding to Suspected Exposure to Covid: Customers & staff

4. Keeping up to Date with Changes: Follow advisories by Algoma Health Unit, NOTO, AKTA and the Ontario Government

The following staff are responsible to ensure we adhere to these guidelines:

Area	Lead
Lodge:	Michael
Equipment shed, site & vehicles:	Todd
Office:	Genevieve
Trips:	Andrea
Staff, supplies & plan mntc:	David

SCREENING CUSTOMERS & STAFF FOR COVID

In addition to our standard liability form, customers and staff are required to complete a standard Covid screening form either as part of the booking process online or on check-in at the front desk. That form includes the following questions:

Customers/staff who refuse to sign or who answer “no” to any of the questions may not be served/employed and all payments accepted will be returned in full.

We will collect and store for the season the contact details of all customers and staff as required by the Algoma Health Unit for contact tracing.

CONTROLLING THE RISK OF TRANSMISSION

GENERAL:

Except when eating, masks will be worn by any person in the indoor areas of the business (lodge, office). Masks must be tightly fitting to cover the nose, mouth and chin. Scarves, buffs, balaclavas and bandanas are insufficient. Exceptions include youth under 2 yrs and anybody with a medical condition that inhibits their ability to wear a face covering.

We are a private business with an absolute right to refuse service to people who refuse to wear a suitable face covering indoors or in our vehicles. People who refuse to leave our business when asked are in trepass and resolution is a police matter.

We recommend frequent hand washing at least 20 seconds with soap and water especially after using the washroom and before preparing food.

Alcohol based (min 70%) hand sanitizers will be located at the entries of all buildings.

We recommend coughing or sneezing into a tissue or the bend of one’s arm, not hand. Tissues must be discarded as soon as possible in a lined wastebasket.

Barring supply/access problems we require all customers and staff to have received the first inoculation prior to participation in programs and services beginning August 1^st. Staff will receive paid time off for vaccinations in Wawa.

LODGE

General Cleaning Approach

Wet/moist cleaning is preferred over dry cleaning
Clean hard surfaces first with soap/water then disinfect with disinfectants
Use a hepa filter in vacuum cleaners
Use touchless and lined garbage containers
Remove hard to clean items such as carpets, couches and cushions.

Entry/exit

Staff will use the kitchen entrance and customers will use the lakeside entry. Hand sanitizer stations will be located at both.
Social distancing and mask wearing notices will be posted at both lodge entries
Entry door handles will be cleaned and disinfected morning and evening

Rooms

Beds have washable covers on all mattresses and pillows. All non-washable pillows, fabric furniture, books, magazines etc. are removed from each room.

Housekeeping staff will not enter a guest room during the period of guest occupation. A note in each room will advise guests to ask staff for new towels, supplies etc.

Prior to new guest arrival, housekeeping will clean and disinfect all hard surfaces (i.e. window and door handles, night stands, tables, light switches); ensure clean and fully dry sheets, ensure an adequate supply of toiletries and leave a note for guests confirming cleaning/disinfecting.

There wil be a notice in each room reminding guests of social distancing, masking requirements and other lodge transmission-reducing practices.

Common Areas

There will be a sign in the lodge common area reminding guests of provincial social distancing/mask requirements.

Non-essential items (books, magazines, cards, board games) will be removed.

Frequently touched surfaces (window handles, tables, light switches, door handles, chairs and armrests, railings) will be cleaned and disinfected once daily.

Lodge Public Washroom

We will stock the washroom with Lysol wipes, soap and paper towels, and post a sign requesting people clean contact areas before use.

The public washroom will be cleaned and sanitized near the end of each day.

Kitchen

The kitchen is cleaned daily and staff will ensure hard surfaces, i.e. refrigerator door, stove, BBQ, counter tops, appliance handles and cupboard handles, etc. are disinfected.

All used dishware (plates, bowls, cups, pots, pans, etc.) are cleaned/sanitized in our commercial high temperature dishwasher.

Kitchen staff will sanitize hands before work and after handling used dishes/cutlery.

Meal Service

Guests will pick up meals plated in the kitchen by kitchen staff then eat in the big room. Used plates will be left on trolleys in the big room for handling by gloved kitchen staff.

Tables/chairs will be set up to maintain a 2 m distance between social bubbles.

Picnic tables will be set up outside the big room to facilitate social distancing

Condiment service (salt and pepper shakers, ketchup bottles/dispensers, etc.) will be by kitchen staff or packaged in individual servings.

Trip Food Room

Hand washing/sanitization station located at room entry and food handlers are required to use them before entry. Only staff are permitted access to the trip food room.

Fridge, freezer, sink surfaces will be cleaned and sanitized daily.

OFFICE

Mask/distancing signs will be posted and a hand sanitation station will be located at entrance to the office.

Max. of one party and two individuals per party permitted in the office at any time.

Front desk hard surfaces will be cleaned and sanitized daily (desk top, door handles, telephone, light switch, etc.).

POS machine to be sanitized after each customer use. Prepayment online and use of tap POS machine function will be encouraged.

Front desk staff to ensure that customers have completed screening survey/liability form and that we have collected contact info as required by the Algoma Health Unit.

SITE

Equipment Shed

A hand sanitizer station and a social distancing sign as well as a Staff Only sign will be posted at the entry.
Used personal flotation devices (PFDs), throw bags, pumps will be stored outside on clotheslines for 48 hours before reuse. After every use, Farmer John/Jill wetsuits and booties will be washed in a neoprene cleaner, turned inside out and stored outside on a clothesline for 48 hours before reuse.
Returning boats will be cleaned in the usual fashion. Paddles will be wiped with disinfectant cloth and returned to the rack.

Outhouses

Outhouses are cleaned and disinfected typically before noon daily.
We will stock with Lysol wipes and post a sign requesting that people clean touch areas before use

Shower Building

The public and staff shower building will be cleaned and disinfected daily. It will also be stocked with Lysol wipes and a sign requesting users to wipe touch areas (shower knob/head and door handles) before use.

VEHICLE SHUTTLES

Reduce vehicle capacity to 3 for the crew cab truck and 7 for the 15-person van.

Shuttles with our vehicle
Our Role	Customer Role
Sanitize high-touch areas before shuttle. Wear a mask Avoid touching customer boats & gear	Read & sign the standard & Covid-19 waivers Use hand sanitizer before entering our vehicle Wear a mask Handle your own gear as much as possible
Shuttles with customer vehicle
Our Role	Customer Role
Use hand sanitizer before shuttle Wear a mask Avoid touching surfaces and your gear/boats unnecessarily	Read & sign the standard & Covid waivers Sanitize high-touch areas before the shuttle Wear a mask Handle your own gear/boats as much as possible

MULTI-DAY TRIPS

Supply/access permitting, customers must have received their first inoculation for trips starting after July 31, 2021.

Masks will be worn where social distancing is not possible ie van/boat shuttles, under group tarps, close around a campfire, etc.

Guides and clients participating in food preparation/service/clean-up will hand-sanitize and wear masks. Guides will plate meals or clients will hand-sanitize before using common serving utensils.

Individually wrapped snacks will be favoured over common source snacks (i.e. bag of gorp). In serving common snacks, guides will do so after masking/hand sanitization.

Clients/guides will be responsible for cleaning their own cups and eating utensils. Dishes will be sanitized after use (bleach water dip)

Our sanitation kits will also include Lysol wipes to sanitize toilet seats/common surfaces.

Shower bags and water purification systems to include Lysol wipes.

Guides will manage expedition first aid and ouch kits after hand sanitization and both parties will wear masks when feasible during first aid.

Social distancing (2 m) spacing will form part of the paddling/hiking/camping routine.

Wearing masks during paddling rescues is not feasible. Rescue participants will make every effort to face away from each other during rescue.

RESPONDING IN THE CASE OF EXPOSURE TO COVID

On average it takes 5–6 days from when someone is infected with the virus for symptoms to show, however it can take up to 14 days.

Customers:

Lodge guests and day trippers showing signs of Covid infection or with negative Covid attestation response (below) may not be served and will receive a full refund.

Clients on multi-day trips with less serious symptions must be isolated. Clients with serious symptoms must be evacuated to medical care.

Most Common Symptoms	Less common Symptoms	Serious Symptoms:
fever dry cough tiredness	aches and pains, sore throat, headache diarrhea conjunctivitis loss of taste or smell a rash on skin or discolouration of fingers or toes	difficulty breathing or shortness of breath chest pain or pressure loss of speech or movement

Staff:

If a staff member is sick with Covid symptions or has had close contact with someone with Covid, he/she will be isolated from the workplace (and the staff accommodations area) or assigned tasks that ensure no spread to others.

Return to work will be possible following a negative Covid test result. Staff will be paid during Covid-related absences.

Notifications:

The Algoma Health Unit must be notified if a staff member tests positive for Covid and they will specify what needs to be done to ensure safety of staff.
In the case of a staff member contracting Covid on the job and missing work we must notify WSIB within three days of the change in work status.
In the case that a staff member tests positive for Covid, notice in writing must be given within 4 days to the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development

MANAGING CHANGES

This plan will be adjusted appropriately in response to Provincial and Algoma Health Unit updates and inoculation progress in Ontario.