Advice on the use of the C19REGISTER.COM COVID-19 Screening Tool for Long-Term Care Homes and Retirement Homes
The C19REGISTER.COM service/tool can provide for online pre-registration and a Covid-19 self-screening challenge for visitors planning to visit a Long-Term Care Home (LTCH) or Retirement Home (RH). It is not to be used as a clinical assessment tool or intended to take the place of active-screening, medical advice or diagnosis.
At a minimum, the following questions should be included to screen individuals for COVID-19 before they are permitted entry into the home.
- Sudden loss of smell or taste?
- Sudden loss of energy?
- Difficulty Breathing/Shortness of breath?
- Heavy Cold or Flu-like symptoms?
- Temperature greater than 37.5°C or 99.5°F?
- Coughing?
- Diarrhoea?
- Has any household member had or is awaiting a test for COVID-19?
- Have you been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the past 14 days?
- Have you returned from travelling in the last 14 Days?
(these questions are included in the default form).
Anyone who does not pass the self-screening questions should be informed not to attend the building property. (Such a default message is already in place).
Once an individual has passed the screening questions they are added to a daily registration list. This list can be checked on arrival and their attendance recorded if needed as a bakcup to your active-screening protocol.
This tool can be adapted based on need and the specific setting. The tool is not intended to be used to screen admissions in the absence of other clinical and detailed adminission assessments.
Active Screening programme
Long-Term Care Homes (LTCH) or Retirement Homes (RH) should also have in place an active screening programme for anyone entering the home (i.e. staff and visitors) in addition to any online visitor pre-registration . It is recommended that screening should occur twice daily as a minimum and include symptom screening and temperature checks (i.e., at the beginning and end of the day/shift for staff and when essential visitors enter and leave the home).
