Covid-19

 

Revised Dec 4, 2020

On-Site Technicians and Customer Safety

Protecting customers and employees during the COVID-19 outbreak is a priority for Nikola Broadband. Our technicians have a tough job, and we are prepared to meet the outbreak’s continuing challenges. We are taking steps to help keep our customers and employees healthy.

What Nikola Broadband is doing to protect the health of our customers

  • At this time, our technicians are only working on orders directly related to keeping our customers connected, installs, and critical repairs.
  • Our field technicians have been instructed in handwashing and the proper use of hand sanitizers and wipes when they enter a customer’s home or business to complete a work order.
  • Field technicians will also follow CDC’s social distancing guidelines, keeping a minimum of six feet distance between people.
  • Field technicians are closely monitoring their health and that of their families and will not work if there is any suspicion that they have been exposed to COVID-19.
  • While we take safety precautions to protect our customers, we also ask customers to ensure our technicians are not exposed to infection. You can reschedule an appointment if necessary.
  • Field technicians will not enter a customer’s premises if the customer is unable to confirm:
    • If anyone is confirmed or presumed positive for COVID-19
    • Currently has COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms
    • If anyone is under a doctor’s order to self-quarantine or self isolate due to COVID-19 exposure concern.
  • Field technicians who have any reservations about the home or office’s safety will complete any work that can be done outside the premises and reschedule the appointment for any work that needs to be done inside.

What we need from our Customers

  • You and other household members must wear masks.
  • Stay at least 6 feet from the technician, limit the interactions between the technician and other household members and pets
  • After the service is completed, our policy is that our technicians will disinfect any surfaces in your home that may have been touched. We recommend that you clean and disinfect before and after any home visit.

Before the visit

Our Technicians will do as much of the pre-service consultation as possible before they arrive, this is designed to reduce the amount of time they spend inside your home.

The pre-service consultation will discuss the service request details by phone or email. If necessary or asked, send pictures ahead of time, and prepare paths to the areas in your home our technicians will need to access.

If there is a stay-at-home order that restricts non-essential activities or services, we ask you to consider if the service request is essential or if it may be delayed.

If you or someone in your home is required to quarantine due to having COVID-19, symptoms consistent with COVID-19, or exposure with someone with COVID-19, wait to schedule non-emergency services that require entry into your home until it is safe to be around others.

If you or someone in your home is at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, such as older adults or those with underlying medical conditions, if possible consider not being inside the home during the service, or find someone else who can be in the home instead.

Do as much of the pre-service consultation as possible before the technician arrives to reduce the amount of time they spend inside your home. For example, discuss the service request’s details on the phone or by email, send pictures ahead of time, and prepare paths to the spaces in your home our technicians will need to access.

Discuss any COVID-19 precautions the technician is taking, including the use of masks for the duration of the service visit, any pre-screening procedures (such as temperature checks), and using the restroom during the service call.

What to Expect During the Visit

Do not allow technicians to enter your home if they seem sick or are showing symptoms of COVID-19.

Require the technicians to wear a mask before entering your home and during the service visit. Also, you and other household members must wear a mask.

Avoid physical greetings, such as handshakes as recommended by the CDC.

Minimize indoor conversations. All conversations with the technicians should take place outdoors, when possible, and physically distanced.

After Visit

  • If at any point after our technicians have left, you or anyone you live with develop a fever of 100.4oF or greater or any other symptoms of COVID-19, inform Nikola, and follow CDC recommendations on What to Do If You Are Sick.
    • With COVID-19, fever can come and go, and some people might not have a fever at all. Fever is less likely in people with some underlying medical conditions, older adults, and people taking certain fever-reducing medications such as acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and aspirin.
  • If you test positive for COVID-19, you will need to notify any service providers who visited your home including Nikola during the period from two days before your symptom onset (or two days before your test if you are asymptomatic) until you meet the criteria to discontinue isolation.