We are hiring a live-in caregiver through an agency and are concerned about protection from covid. My family and I are vaccinated and terrified of catching covid considering the variants out there. We continue to be very careful and wear masks any time we're in public. Am I legally allowed to ask the agency and caregiver himself if he has been vaccinated? Can I ask him to be tested? Thanks!
As more and more folks are vaccinated against COVID-19, we have heard from some consumers asking to only have vaccinated workers come into their homes. If you get a call with this request, please educate the consumer that the vaccine protects the person vaccinated, and not necessarily others, so that is why masking and social distancing is still so important. The best advice that you can give a consumer is to be vaccinated, if their medical condition warrants, to continue to be vigilant, to practice good hand hygiene, to wear a mask when around others and to practice social distancing. If everyone entering a consumer’s home does the same, consumers are at no more risk having an unvaccinated person in their home.
According to the CDC:
· The risks of COVID-19 infection in fully vaccinated people cannot be completely eliminated as long as there is continued community transmission of the virus. Vaccinated people could potentially still get COVID-19 and spread it to others.
· Wear masks, practice physical distancing, and adhere to other prevention measures when visiting with people who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease.
· Dr Fauci has warned that vaccinated Americans could still be infected with COVID-19 and pass the virus on to others "inadvertently," thereby necessitating mask usage until more Americans receive the vaccine or the level of confirmed infections significantly drops.
Once I was vaccinated a tremendous load of stress lifted from me. I believe in the science and was happy to get vaccinated.
If you MUST wear a mask to shop in most stores still, asking a CG to wear a mask would not be offensive. IF they have been vaccinated, the decision for them to wear a mask in your home is up to you. If they haven't, you do have the option of not employing them if your feel it's that important. Personally, I do, but that's just me.
Your house, your rules.
Antibodies do not build up until a few days after the injection. These shots are not a guarantee. They just had in the news we may need to get ongoing boosters. We are still suppose to take precautions. I would require a mask while she is in ur living space working closely with you. She doesn't need to wear it in her room.
She will be coming and going so you have no idea what she does outside your home and you can't control it. But in ur home you can.
Since she is a live-in, you hope that the relationship between u will be a good one. She should be made to feel comfortable. But you need to remember to keep some professionalism. She is being paid to care for you. She will have time off to be with friends and family she does not need to bring "strangers" in your home. Set boundries and stick to them. If you have any valuables, put them away in a safe place. I worked with a woman whose son constantly kept money out on his dresser. She told him to put it away. His response was his friends would not steal from him. Her response was, you also don't leave temptation out where they see it.
Always remember, your house, your rules.
You can ask the caregiver to mask when in close proximity to any family member.
You can ask how often the agency tests their staff. Or if they do.
You can ask the agency if they are requiring caregivers to be vaccinated.
You could require anyone working in your home to be vaccinated. If that is the case let the agency know.
Vaccination can make it more difficult for the vaccinated person to become infected BUT they can still transmit the virus and infect someone else.