We hope these protocols and guidelines help ensure the health and wellbeing of the entire DFAC community. They are effective until further notice. They will be amended as needed as new information becomes available.
As of the CDC’s latest Risk Assessment for our County is a LOW Risk Level.
At DFAC, Masks are welcome at any time.
We are fortunate here at DFAC, that we have such good building ventilation systems. Keeping fresh air circulating is one of the best defenses. We will continue all of the safety protocols we have in place: Wash our hands frequently, clean our spaces frequently and be especially careful if you personally are a high-risk individual, or live with a high-risk individual (SEE BELOW). This also means to remember, if you are not feeling well, DO NOT come to DFAC.
If you plan to visit DFAC, please use our Symptom Checker (below) before you do. Thanks for helping make sure our community stays healthy!
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CDC Guidelines |
Introduction
For over two years now, the Dunedin Fine Art Center (DFAC) has worked to protect all of their visitors, students, and staff from the effects of a global pandemic. Those efforts have ranged from closing our doors on March 17th, 2020 along with most everyone else in the country, to an ongoing set of enhanced health and safety protocols that have attempted to protect even the most vulnerable of our community. “DFAC has always been a safe place to explore your creativity,” noted DFAC President, George Ann Bissett. “We, like everyone else, just had to up our game, to meet the increased risk everyone was facing… If all of the appreciative comments we’ve received, along with the students being able to share in our creative community since we were one of the first nonprofits to reopen way back on June 1, 2020, are any indication, it’s been a pretty safe environment at DFAC. We are fortunate here at DFAC, that we have such good building ventilation systems. Keeping fresh air circulating is one of the best defenses. We will continue all of the safety protocols we have in place: Wash our hands frequently, clean our spaces frequently and be especially careful if you personally are a high-risk individual, or live with a high-risk individual (SEE BELOW). This also means to remember, if you are not feeling well, DO NOT come to DFAC.
Safety Protocols
If you are not feeling well, please DO NOT come to DFAC. (see your Daily Symptom Checker for guidance).Please see below for the precautions we are taking, based on CDC guidelines, to keep everyone safe at the art center.
We want to do the best we can to ensure that everyone at DFAC stays safe, healthy and creative!
Food at DFAC
Eating and the Dunedin Fine Art Center The Palm Cafe is open with the incredible Chef Robert Masson at the reins. Eating is NOT allowed in DFAC studios, other than the Food Arts Studio, during class time. We realize that there are times when eating in one of DFAC’s studio spaces may be unavoidable. These procedures and protocols look to 1.) Minimize the times that may be necessary and 2.) Minimize Health and Safety concerns when it is. All-day workshops, and back-to-back morning and afternoon classes are two situations when leaving the DFAC premises to dine, is improbable if not impossible. During these situations, we advise these options in descending order of preference.
Any other option should be cleared with DFAC staff prior to class day.
Daily Symptom Checker
If you answer YES to ANY of the questions below. Please DO NOT come to DFAC. 1.) Do you have any of the following symptoms?:
2.) Are you taking any over-the-counter medications to relieve cold- or flu-like symptoms? 3.) Have you tested positive, are currently experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19, had close contact (6 feet or closer for 15 minutes or longer) with someone who has tested positive within the last 14 days or been advised to self-isolate due to possible exposure to COVID-19? Please make use of the CDC “Self-Checker” for further clarification.
Facilities and Cleaning
Enhanced cleanings of all common areas and classrooms. Additional cleaning supplies will be available for students and instructors to clean learning spaces before use. All restrooms will be cleaned and disinfected. Everyone should use a paper towel to open the door in restrooms after drying hands and place the towel in a trash receptacle next to the door. Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems in DFAC offices, rooms and spaces will be operated to provide the best indoor air quality. Facilities staff will continue to perform routine inspections on HVAC equipment, including filters change outs, and outdoor air damper positioning. Frequent hand washing is highly encouraged. Liquid sanitation stations will be available at all main entrances and hallways for use by staff and students. Hand wipes will be located in shared office spaces and areas where face-to-face student services are performed. Please place hand wipes in trash receptacles once used. Due to frequent use, we encourage students, faculty and staff to wipe down computer keyboards, mice, and stations, as well as desks or other hard surfaces before using. Adequate levels of cleaning supplies will be provided to be used before and after each use. ELEVATOR/ STAIRWELLS
BUILDING ENTRANCESIn an effort to ensure appropriate screening protocols, building entrances may be limited. To ensure safe egress, building exits will not be limited or closed. In addition, everyone should avoid crowding through doorways and provide acceptable social distancing when entering and exiting buildings and classrooms
Reporting COVID-19 Symptoms
Contact tracing and mitigation efforts are critical to ensuring the safety of the DFAC Community. If you have you tested positive or are currently experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19, have had close contact with someone who has tested positive within the last 7 days, or have been advised to self-isolate due to possible exposure to COVID-19:
In addition, making sure you are free of symptoms each day before you arrive for work or classes, is critical in ensuring that we are able to effectively contract trace. If you answered yes to any of the questions in the symptom checker self-assessment, DO NOT come to DFAC. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES– Pinellas County COVID-19 website (Includes Testing Sites) Legal and Medical Disclaimer: The information contained in this document does not constitute legal or medical advice.
Post Exposure Return to DFAC
Our Current Protocol (Which Supersedes all other Directives) is that following a Positive COVID-19 Test, individuals will be excluded from DFAC for at least 5 days from the date of the positive test, your symptoms (if any) are improving, and you are fever free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication). Please NOTE that masks must be worn when returning to DFAC for an additional 5 days. The following decision tree is included as a guide to help keep all of us safe, healthy and creative.
DFAC Covid-19 Stats
DFAC’s COVID-19 Stats are updated as soon as a new positive test case is reported. Cases will be listed for each individual who discloses a positive COVID-19 test result and has been to DFAC and may have exposed others. Due to privacy concerns and confidentiality laws, DFAC will not divulge the names of anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19. If a case is reported, DFAC will enact its response protocols to include: asking the individual to refrain from coming to campus and follow guidance from the Florida Department of Health and the U.S. Centers of Disease Control; closing and disinfecting affected areas as directed; identifying and notifying those who may have been exposed at DFAC, to the best of our ability; and alerting the community as necessary. Please note that if a member of the DFAC community tests positive and does not alert DFAC, we will not be able to enact our protocols. Access current DFAC Covid-19 statistics HERE. |
