Health and Safety Guidelines for Volunteers + Visitors

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Health and Safety Guidelines for Volunteers + Visitors

heart held up by hands with text CaritasCARITAS is more committed than ever to providing compassion and support to our most vulnerable community members in this new landscape shaped by a global pandemic. As we welcome volunteers and supporters back on-site to our programs, please review our latest health and safety guidelines:

Full vaccination is required. As of October 1st, all onsite visitors and volunteers at the CARITAS Center will need to show confirmation of full vaccination against COVID-19. Please bring your paper vaccine card with you or upload a photo of it with your online volunteer application. We will only ask you for this information the first time you visit after October 1, 2021. Note: Experts recommend booster shots, as well– you are most protected if you have the booster once your original vaccination series is more than 6 months old. 

On-Site Volunteering is On! For volunteer opportunities, please visit this webpage.

Sanitization is still a top priority. We will maintain regular cleaning protocols and have hand sanitizer accessible around our buildings.

We will have health and safety supplies for you. There will be a sanitation station with hand sanitizer for you to use. We also will have gloves to use while sorting through boxes, making dish packs, and more.

Other Health and Safety Reminders and Requests:

  • Please do not visit if you are sick or feeling unwell.
  • Please do not visit if you have been near someone who is sick.
  • Please do not shake hands with anyone if you are visiting.
  • Please be advised that CARITAS may ask you to leave the volunteer project if you show signs of illness. (See below for The Virginia Department of Health issued recommended self-screening questions)
  • Before a visit or volunteer shift, please engage in the below for self-assessment. Please answer “YES or NO, since your last day of volunteer work, or since your last visit to this facility, have you had any of the following:”
    • A new fever (100.4°F or higher) or a sense of having a fever?
    • A new cough that you’ve developed doing the past two weeks?
    • New shortness of breath that you cannot attribute to another health condition?
    • New chills that you cannot attribute to another health condition?
    • A new sore throat that you cannot attribute to another health condition?
    • New muscle aches (myalgia) that you cannot attribute to another health condition, or
    • Any other symptoms unusual to you.
  • If your answer is “yes” to any of the above, please stay home and consult your physician.

Thank you!

We thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to limit any unintentional harm toward volunteers, staff, and populations we strive to serve. Thank you for your continued support and dedication as we navigate through these challenging times.  We still want volunteering to be fun, so we hope that you will continue to laugh together and with us as we try our best to stay safe and healthy as possible!

If you have any questions, please email us at volunteer@caritasva.org.