Thank you for your commitment to Big Brothers Big Sisters of
Southern Maine. Our top priority is the health and safety of our Littles,
volunteers, families, and staff. We will continue to monitor developments
regarding Covid-19 and adhere to federal, state, and local guidelines to help
protect all BBBS program participants and staff.
BBBS of Southern Maine provides the following guidance to our
Bigs, Littles, and parents/guardians regarding safe contact for our matches. We
ask each match participant to review and confirm your agreement to follow these
guidelines by signing below. As always,
please contact your BBBS staff with any questions, concerns, or for support in
keeping connected.
Communicating
about Covid-19 Risk Factors and Deciding to Meet
·
In-person outings remain at
the discretion of each match and its participants and are not required at this
time. Matches not meeting in-person agree to maintain regular communication via
virtual, phone and/or written means.
·
Each person in the match
must assess their health before every in-person outing. Please be open and
honest about illness symptoms to protect one another and make the best-informed
decision about meeting. Matches should not meet if either party has any of the
following symptoms:
·
fever, cough, shortness of
breath
·
chills, muscle pain,
headache
·
sore throat, congestion,
loss of taste or smell, or
·
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
·
In-person meetings shall not take place if a Big, Little or another member in
either household is diagnosed with Covid-19, or has been exposed to Covid-19.
·
If any
match party has been diagnosed with Covid-19 or had symptoms, the match should
not meet for at least:
·
10
days after symptoms first appeared and
·
24
hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and
·
Other
symptoms are improving
·
Or a
negative Covid-19 test has occurred no sooner than 3 days after exposure
· Fully vaccinated people who have come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 should be tested 5-7 days following the date of their exposure and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result. They should isolate if they test positive.
· Please
visit the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html for further guidance on
what to do if you are sick, or have been exposed or think you may have been
exposed to COVID-19.
Choosing
Activities/Outing Locations
If match parties agree to meeting in-person:
- Outings
should occur in locations that allow for social distancing.
- Bigs
and Littles should avoid crowded places and gatherings.
- Regardless
of the Little’s age, each outing and activity must be approved by the Parent/ Guardian ahead of time.
Transportation:
BBBS recommends
that match participants wear masks when traveling in a vehicle.
·
Bigs should
take reasonable steps to disinfect surfaces before and after transporting
(cleaning handles, seatbelts, etc.).
·
When
possible, Bigs should limit
transportation to short distances.
·
Littles
should sit in the back seat of the car, regardless of age, to provide more
distance.
Protective
Measures:
The following protective measures are recommended
prior to and during each in-person visit:
·
Make
sure to wash your hands thoroughly before and after the visit. Washing hands
and/or sanitizing regularly during outings is encouraged.
·
Anyone
participating in the visit should adhere to social distancing guidelines
·
Refrain
from any physical contact, including high fiving, hand holding, hand shaking,
or hugging.
· Bigs and Littles should wear masks that cover their mouth and nose during
the duration of the outing.
By signing below, I confirm
that I have read the agency’s Covid-19 match contact requirements and that I
agree to adhere to these requirements. I understand we are not obligated to
have in-person contact with our match, and that we are voluntarily choosing to
connect in person. I will make decisions based on what is best for the safety,
health, and wellness of each person in our match and our families. I realize
that despite the safety precautions outlined in this agreement, there remains a
risk that I or a member of my family could become infected with Covid -19
through inadvertent contact with an infected person during a visit. I agree to assume this risk and, hereby
release and hold Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Maine harmless from any
injury, illness or loss of life that may be related to such contact.