The outbreak of the Covid-19 Corona virus has many people concerned. The following answers some questions that may arise from groups that are visiting the center and lists the steps the center is taking to prevent the spread of the disease. There are also some useful suggestions for group leaders to make sure all participants remain healthy during and after their stay.
In general, the Catholic Conference Center uses industry standard cleaning products and practices to keep our guests and staff healthy and our facility clean, and consistently receives high sanitation ratings.
During the outbreak of the Coronavirus, we have increased our deep cleaning procedures as follows, and have added some activities to prevent the spread of disease.
Additional Steps Being Taken By The Center
Cleaning of Guest Rooms:
─ After a guest departs the guest room, the cleaning service will disinfect each room by wiping down all hard surfaces with a sanitizing cleaning product, to include all high-touch areas.
─ Linens are sent out to our commercial cleaning service.
─ The room cleaning service has additional guidelines for cleaning according to hotel industry standards and Covid protocols.
Public Areas:
─ All high traffic areas will be deep cleaned consistently throughout the day while guests are present, utilizing sanitizing cleaning products and Hospicide spray.
─ Hand sanitizer dispensers will be available in many prominent places, and sanitizing wipes will be provided for all high-touch areas like coffeepot levers.
Dining Areas:
─ After each meal, the kitchen staff will follow the standard protocol of wiping down the table tops and sides, chairs, and salt and pepper shakers, all buffet areas and sneeze guards. We will also sanitize all high touch areas like door handles, light switches, etc.
─ Hand sanitizer dispensers will be available at the entrance of, and locations throughout, the dining area. Sanitizing wipes will be provided in all areas, should any guest choose to use them for things like salad bar serving utensils, or beverage dispenser levers.
─ Employees will continue to wear gloves at all times while handling food and/or food service ware. They will wear masks through Phase 3, and beyond if requested by guests.
Staff Expectations:
─ In all phases of re-entry, all staff will check their temperature before clocking in.
─ All staff will wash hands when entering facility with hand sanitizing soap and water, and also do so consistently throughout their shift. All staff will wear masks.
─ Staff will use industry standard hygiene practices for food preparation and serving.
─ Staff will be available to respond to the guests with any other precautionary steps.
Tips for Group Leaders
Prior to arriving at the Conference Center:
Instruct your participants to please not come if you have a fever, cough or shortness of breath or respiratory symptoms.
Suggest that if any are immunocompromised (diabetes, active cancer with planned or current treatment, have an immunological disease), or taking immunosuppressant biologics for any reason to reconsider your attendance.
Consider some of the additional preventative actions:
As people arrive, you or a member of your group ask some routine questions:
Are you feeling well today?
Anyone who looks or feels ill should have their temperature taken? If a person has a temperature of 100.0 or greater they should not participate.
Are you experiencing a cough or shortness of breath?
During your stay:
Leaders should refer anyone they feel may be ill to an urgent care center/physician for evaluation.
Local urgent care centers: Frye Urgent Care: 828-728-2080
FastMed Urgent Care: 828-404-3656
Urgent care of Mountain View: 828-330-2103
Group leaders could offer the following to participants and group members:
─ Wash hands before meals and after bathroom breaks
─ Avoid touching face with hands
─ Use the crook of your elbow (not your hands) to cover your cough or sneeze
─ Use a tissue ONCE to wipe your nose then discard it
─ Avoid touching door handles, elevator buttons (use your knuckles) and frequently touched surfaces
─ In the lavatory turn off the water and grab the door handle with a paper towel and dispose of it in the trash as you exit
─ Do not touch toilet/urinal surfaces or handles with bare hands (use TP or paper towels)
─ Avoid unnecessary close contact:
hugging or handshakes
sharing drinks, make up, lip balm or any other personal items
maintain social distancing as mandated