Volunteer Protocols

Now that Arizona Governor Doug Ducey has relaxed stay at home restrictions, some of our neighbors are needing to schedule appointments for regular visits and procedures that have been delayed for two months. Some neighbors are also wanting to venture out and do their own shopping. Staff, drivers, and neighbors are all required to follow VVCC's updated COVID-19 protocols.  

• Drivers to wear protective mask and gloves while transporting or escorting a passenger into a destination and when handling wheelchairs, walkers, and other assistive devices.
• Screening of drivers, volunteers, and neighbors for COVID-19 prior to each service.
• Passengers to wear a mask and gloves when entering the van and upon entering grocery stores, etc.
•  VVCC providing masks, disposable gloves, and sanitizing wipes for drivers, staff, volunteers, and neighbors.
• Gloves used by neighbors can be used only once and must be discarded safely after each use, prior to re-entering the VVCC vehicle.
• Drivers must use disinfecting wipes or other cleaning agents to clean touchable surfaces in their vehicle after each passenger.
• VVCC’s vans are completely sanitized at the end of each day. 

If you arrive at a neighbor's home and the neighbor is sick and you suspect he/she may have COVID-19 -- Call the hotline Below.  

• Call Northern Arizona Healthcare Hotline 928-773-2301 
• Call 911 only for true imminently life-threatening emergency if COVID-19 suspected.
• Notify operator/dispatcher if you suspect neighbor has symptoms of COVID-19 or has been exposed. 

Identify self– “I am _______(name) _______, working for VV Caregivers, a volunteer transport organization for the elderly. I am not medical personnel.”

Identify issue- “I am with  _________ _________, a ______(age)(gender) who has symptoms of________________ __________________ _____________ _______________.”

[We should only be concerning ourselves if symptoms are – fever, cough, shortness of breath, exposure to prior COVID case]

Identify concern - “I am concerned about the potential presence of COVID-19.”

Identify request- “Can you provide advice; we have limited transport vehicles and need to limit contamination of those vehicles if COVID is a reasonable concern.”

“If you are recommending testing, where should the patient [not neighbor] be sent?”

• Neighbor screened when requesting service (see above)
• Volunteer sanitizes hands before entering home and leaving home
• Remain a reasonable distance away
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Always cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze - using a tissue

Shopping With Neighbor

• Driver wipes down all touchable surfaces in vehicle before pickup
• Driver sanitizes hands before
• Driver escorts neighbor to van with minimal touching for safety in walking and getting into car
• Driver asks neighbor to please sit in back seat
• At store, assist with selecting and placing items in the cart and in the van
• Sanitize hands before driving
• Carry groceries to the homes and place on a level surface nearest the door
• Sanitize hands before entering his/her car to drive away.

Neighbor Needs Grocery Pick up 

• Neighbor contacts store online and gives list and pays
• Volunteer or van driver picks up the items
• Volunteer/van driver delivers food and places on level surface nearest the door
• Volunteer/van driver sanitizes hands before entering the car to drive away

Shopping For 

• Neighbor calls request in and states paying with check or credit card
• Neighbor gives Call Center list of grocery items to be purchased or will give to volunteer along with payment, and/or SNAP card at the door before shopping
• Volunteer/van driver delivers groceries following protocols above
• If VVCC is paying for groceries up front: Call Center collects credit card info at time of request
• List is typed and given or emailed to volunteer/van driver
• Volunteer/van driver takes picture of receipt and emails to VVCC at: judithryan@vvcaregivers.org
• Neighbor gives volunteer/van driver check to take back to office if not paid with credit card 

Please let our neighbors know scams may come their way in the form of phone calls or malicious emails.

If neighbors have questions or need resources they can call the Scam Squad at the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Dept. (602) 460-3879. 

Daily updates will be put out, on the countywide level, by YCHHS online at  www.Yavapai.us/chs/               Facebook.com/YCCHS                Twitter.com/YavapaiHealth