In January of 2020, the first case of Coronavirus was confirmed in the United States in the state of Washington. Cases grew in Washington and spread to other states. By March, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a worldwide pandemic, and soon after the President of the United States declared a national emergency. Drastic times called for drastic measures. The US government, on both state and federal levels, implemented strict measures to handle a once-in-a-generation pandemic.

Before the pandemic, Visiting Ancillary Services strived to provide top-tier and affordable ancillary services to individuals in assisted living or nursing homes, and we still do. The pandemic has challenged our commitment to accountability and empathy as we serve a COVID-19 vulnerable population. The state and federal nation have put forth their standards for traversing this pandemic. Read below to see VAS works to meet and exceed those requirements for the sake of the population we serve.

Organizational Measures

• Since March, in-office staffing has been kept to the bare minimum to reduce the risk of an outbreak within VAS
• Colorado and National data are constantly monitored to stay as informed as possible on the status of the pandemic
• Meetings that were held in person before are now held online when possible

Field Practice Measures

• Before entering a facility, our staff wait for clearance of safety from facility staff
• Our field staff are tested at least once a week for COVID-19, regardless if they show any signs or symptoms of the virus
• In the environments where services are performed, specialized equipment is used to sterilize the air
• In between patients, all tools and equipment are thoroughly sanitized with isopropyl alcohol
• Additional Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) is being used for both field staff and patients
• Should a facility have an outbreak, all ancillary services are put on hold. After 14 days without a positive test, only emergency/urgent procedures resume. After 28 days without a positive test, routine procedures resume.