03/13/2020
With growing concerns for COVID-19, we have had questions regarding keeping our upcoming classes scheduled. Yes, we are keeping the courses scheduled and are monitoring the situation closely and following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the Winnebago County Health Department.
We are asking anyone experiencing respiratory symptoms (coughing/sneezing etc) or has a fever- do NOT come to our training center. *If a student comes to a course and is sneezing/coughing or exhibiting any other symptoms that is making others uncomfortable, the instructor can use their own discretion to ask the student to reschedule (the course cost would apply to the next available course /one time). Please use best judgement and stay home if you are sick in any way.
We have thorough and rigorous cleaning practices throughout our training center. This includes frequently sanitizing high-touch locations like bathroom areas and all training equipment. Environmental cleaning guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are followed (e.g., clean and disinfect high touch surfaces daily or more frequently.
We are making changes to our CPR and First Aid programs to minimize risk; including, but not limited to requiring students to wash their hands upon arrival/before class, encouraging frequent hand washing during classes, keeping class sizes to 10 students or less, and modifying skills practice during class so that student contact is almost eliminated. Students who do not feel comfortable breathing into the practice manikins during “mouth to mouth” portion of the class are excused from this requirement; we will not require it in order to pass any skills tests at this time (one time use plastic face shields/lung bags are provided for those who wish to practice), however you will be required to deliver breaths using a pocket mask and one time use one way valve.
Additionally, students will be provided with non latex/sterile nitrile gloves to be used throughout practice.
If anyone chooses to transfer their enrollment at anytime we will register you to a class date in the future.
We expect that guidance from federal, state and local agencies may quickly change over the approaching weeks. We will continue to monitor closely and be flexible in adjusting our operations to prioritize the health and safety of our students and our staff.
From Winnebago County Health Department:
How can the public help?
The public can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illness, like
flu by:
WASHING YOUR HANDS OFTEN with soap and warm water.
COVERING YOUR COUGH, cough and sneeze into your upper sleeve or a
tissue that you throw away.
CLEANING SURFACES OFTEN, increase cleaning of frequently touched
surfaces.
STAYING HOME, if you or someone in your household is not feeling well stay
home to keep others from getting sick.
If you have questions or concerns about COVID-19, call the Illinois Department of
Public Health hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email DPH.SICK@Illinois.gov
More about COVID-19: As of right now, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in
Winnebago County. The health and safety of our residents is our highest priority. This
virus is highly contagious and because it’s a new virus the general population doesn’t
have immunity to it. There is no vaccine for the COVID-19 virus at this time. The best
way to control the spread of the illness is to avoid exposure to it. While a majority of the
people won’t become seriously ill from the virus, the most at risk include the older adults
and those with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and lung
disease.
