About This Lesson

Given the deadly nature of COVID-19 and its ability to spread rapidly, nonprofit organizations around the globe need to drastically reconsider how they will operate during this outbreak. This is especially important for organizations working with high-risk populations—beneficiaries who have a higher risk of infection such as the elderly, immunocompromised or those with certain preexisting medical conditions. 

In order to protect the lives of these vulnerable populations, this lesson will guide organizations on the basic protocols and strategies they can employ to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

Lesson Topics

This lesson will cover three actions organizations can take to protect the high-risk populations they serve. These actions include:

• Instituting organizational policies to prevent sick individuals from entering the workplace
• Educating staff and beneficiaries on how to practice proper hygiene during the outbreak
• Training staff on how to react when an individual exhibiting the symptoms of COVID-19 enters the workplace

Who Should Take This Lesson?

Although this lesson can apply to any organization operating during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is especially important for organizations working with high-risk populations. High-risk populations include the elderly, immunocompromised or those with certain preexisting medical conditions. 

Such organizations may operate in or alongside nursing homes, senior centers, hospitals, hospice or food banks.

Course Advisors

This lesson would not have been possible without the involvement of many teams and individuals. Special thanks to:

• Karin Opacich, PhD, MHPE, OTR/L, FAOTA: Clinical Associate Professor and Assistant Dean at UIC School of Public Health

• Ronald Hershow, MD: Director of the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at UIC School of Public Health, Former EIS Officer, Professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases

Certification

There is no certificate for this 15-minute mini-lesson.