What is COVID-19? How has COVID-19 impacted First Aid training? During this pandemic, people all over the world are learning how this disease impacts them and their family members. It is a troubling time, causing a lot of controversy from country to country. The decisions we make on an individual level as well as a national level will shape the outcome of our lives. Businesses are slowly opening up, but with many precautions, specifically to our First Aid and CPR programs. Continue reading to learn how COVID-19 impacts first aid training.
What is COVID-19?
COVID-19, otherwise known as coronavirus, is a disease first identified in Wuhan, China at the end of 2019. COVID-19 is part of a large family of viruses called Coronaviruses which are typically found in animals, but can spread to humans, causing respiratory illness. COVID-19 can cause mild to severe illness, but some people may show no symptoms at all.
Although most people recover from COVID-19, there have still been at least 9,080 deaths reported in Canada as of August 18, 2020. Much is still unknown about this disease. As safety experts search for a vaccine, we recommend you take caution in your daily lives.
Signs and symptoms include but are not limited to:
- Fever
- Cough
- Difficulty breathing
Some people may show no symptoms or very limited symptoms, similar to a cold or flu.
If you know you have been in contact with someone who has/had COVID-19, please be sure to self-isolate for at least 14 days. You should not leave your home for any reason.
How COVID-19 Impacts First Aid Training
Now is an excellent time to enroll in a First Aid and CPR course. These training courses always cover proper measures to limit the risk of infection and disease. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is also an important topic that is covered in our training. Students will learn how to properly put on and take off gloves before disposal, how to wash or sanitize their hands, how to disinfect equipment and surfaces and more.
Although our courses were postponed for some time, we have implemented ways for students to earn their certificate with the least amount of in-class training possible. We recommend students register for the Online Blended format of our First Aid and CPR courses. This format provides students with the opportunity to complete half of their training online in the comfort of their own home before attending an in-class session.
The online portion of this course can be completed in the student’s own time. It does not need to be finished in one sitting, making it convenient for those with busy schedules. The only requirement prior to attending the in-class session is to complete the online portion of the course.
Our in-class training has many precautions which you may find below as well as how COVID-19 impacts first aid training.
What Precautions is Coast2Coast Taking?
We are taking this virus very seriously as we begin to open our classrooms again. In an effort to combat COVID-19, Coast2Coast First Aid and Aquatics Inc. has implemented protocols and safety measures to keep our students safe.
Prior to attending their course, all students must read through a questionnaire to confirm they are not a potential risk to other students.
If a student answers “YES” to any of the questions above, they are required to contact us via phone or email to reschedule their training to a date at least two weeks from their original course date. If all answers are “NO,” the student may attend class where they will be asked to fill out and sign a physical copy of the questionnaire before entering the classroom.
All students are required to bring the following to their course:
- Face mask
- Face shield/safety goggles
- Device to read e-book or hard copy textbook
The health and safety guidelines mandate all training providers to ensure all participants wear face masks and face shields/safety goggles during their training. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they have the necessary equipment to enter the classroom. If they do not have these items, they will be asked to leave and reschedule their training to a later date. A mask and face shield must be worn during the entire training and cannot be removed unless directed otherwise by the instructor during the occasions where proper physical distancing between students is maintained.
Since our courses typically require students to practice some hands-on skills on each other, it is important to inform us if you are ill prior to attending your training date. We understand how easily diseases spread which is why we ask students who feel ill to reschedule their training, especially during these times.
Equipment in our classrooms will be shared between students, but is required to be disinfected between each user. Disinfectants will be readily available throughout the course.
When entering our classrooms, students will receive:
- Individually sealed Student Kit (2x Triangular bandages, gloves, conforming bandage, gauze pad, adhesive tape)
- Individually sealed Pocket Mask with One-Way Filter
- Implemented use of strong disinfectant solutions to clean surfaces and equipment before and after each training
- Increased availability of disinfectant wipes to clean manikins, training equipment and surfaces during the training
- Increased availability of hand sanitizers in class to allow participants quick hand cleansing
Handwashing is highly recommended to prevent the spread of viruses and pathogens. You may be asked to wash or sanitize your hands several times during your training course. We recommend proper handwashing during the following instances:
1. Beginning and end of class
2. Before and after meals/snacks
Extra Measures We’re Taking
It is extremely important to keep our students safe which is why we have implemented the following rules in all of our training facilities:
1. Food and snack sharing is highly prohibited during your presence in the classroom. We have either removed or disabled microwaves and refrigerators from our facilities to prevent cross-contamination.
2. Loaner textbooks will no longer be distributed in order to prevent cross-contamination between students.
You may download the PDF version of the book from your confirmation email and use your cell phone, tablet or laptop during the class to view it
- You may also purchase a hard copy version of the textbook which will be given to you on the day of your training.
- Please understand that these are the only two options feasible at this time. Once COVID-19 has resolved, we may return to our original practice of using loaner textbooks during classes
3. Participants should also bring their own learning equipment such as pens/pencils, notebooks, manuals, worksheets, etc. These items should not be shared with other participants.
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After you complete your training, we recommend that you wash your hands upon leaving our facility and change your attire before connecting with family and friends.
We will continue to update our protocol to reflect any changes the government has implemented. Let’s slow down the number of cases and continue to socially distance, wear PPE and wash our hands.
How to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19
We know that COVID-19 can spread from person to person which is why social distancing is so important. By social distancing, you limit your exposure to others’ respiratory droplets (from coughing, sneezing, talking). It has also been stated that you may contract COVID-19 if you touch a surface or object that has the virus on it, then proceed to touch your mouth, nose or eyes. It is encouraged to clean your hands often in order to prevent the spread of this virus.
Safety experts recommend that we stay home as much as possible and avoid close contact with others. If we do need to visit a public indoor space, we should wear a face mask not only to protect ourselves, but to protect those who are at higher risk that may be negatively impacted by the effects of COVID-19. If possible, order groceries and medications online to limit the amount of time spent near others.
What We Expect for the Future
Although we are unsure what to expect at this time, we will continue to monitor COVID-19 and implement all necessary safety measures required by the government and WSIB.
If there are any changes to your course, we will be sure to inform you via email or phone call. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding our First Aid & CPR training courses and one of our customer service representatives will get back to you as soon as possible.
We hope you understand how COVID-19 impacts first aid training! We will continue to monitor the situation and update out protocol based on government regulations and restrictions.
Stay safe!
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