Western Iowa Services Operations Director Mark Stromer was one of many Vodec staff who received a 2nd COVID-19 vaccination shot last month.
Vodec celebrated more than Valentine’s Day and Fat Tuesday in February. The year’s shortest month also marked an important milestone in the fight against COVID-19. In Omaha, Vodec – with help from Kohll’s Pharmacy – held vaccination clinics Jan. 14 and Feb. 12 for eligible employees, consumers, shared living and respite providers so they could receive both doses of the vaccine.
In Western Iowa, Vodec sent eligible residential employees, host home and respite providers to vaccinations clinics Jan. 16 and Feb. 13 through the Pottawattamie County Health Department so they could receive both doses as well as a March 6 clinic for those who missed the first clinic.
In Central Iowa Jan. 12, Vodec started sending eligible employees, host home and respite providers to local pharmacies to receive vaccinations with help from a local health department.
“Our day program environments are now as safe as they’re going to get without the total elimination of COVID-19,” said Vodec CEO Steve Hodapp. “We’re seeing consumers return to service, and we’re not letting up on any of the safety protocols we’ve carefully put in place since last March,” he noted.
Below is a partial listing of what Vodec continues to do to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:
- Employees, visitors and consumers are required to wear masks when they are in all Vodec development centers.
- Employees are wearing masks when working in a residential group home.
- Vodec is following CDC and state guidance on the number of people who can gather in one room at the same time.
- All shared surfaces are disinfected daily.
- Air purifiers were purchased and placed at the Council Bluffs and Urbandale development centers and in employee training rooms.
- Individualized tables were purchased for some areas to assist with social distancing.
- Consumers are not sharing equipment, devices or materials.
- Route drivers are wiping down and disinfecting the interior of each vehicle after each transport with consumers.
- Vodec has installed sneeze guards at the front desk of each Vodec facility, in vehicles and on tables.
- Lunch and breaks are staggered. Appropriate spacing of lunch tables was created for social distancing.
- Every consumer is expected to wash his or her hands upon arrival, during break and lunch, and before departure. Employee assistance is provided as needed.
- Consumers can wash their hands at any time during the day but are expected to at the times listed above.
For a complete list of Vodec’s COVID-19 safety protocols, visit www.vodec.org.