Right now, many public places are requiring COVID-19 Screenings when a person first enters their location. These public places can include healthcare buildings, public transportation and many workplaces. When you enter as public space that is requiring a COVID-19 screening, you will need to answer their questions and allow a temperature check (if they are doing a temperature check) in order to be granted permission to enter.

A COVID-19 Screening is a series of questions asked to determine a person’s risk for being infected with COVID-19. They include questions about symptoms being experienced, travel history in recent weeks, and exposure to someone who has been confirmed to have COVID-19. Sometimes the screening may also include a temperature check to determine if someone has a fever. This screening is a helpful method in lowering the chance of COVID-19 transmission.

It is important to note that each public place that is requiring COVID-19 screenings may use a slightly different process. The questions may be slightly different. And some places will take your temperature and some will not. Despite these differences, the main goal for the screening is the same for all places: they want to ensure that each person entering the building is not at risk of being infected for COVID-19. In other words, they want to make sure that you don’t have any active COVID-19 symptoms and haven’t been in close contact with someone else that has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Review

How to Answer COVID-19 Screening Questions When Entering Public Spaces

CDC form for previewing and practice:

To review, download or print click HERE

Completing a COVID-19 Self Assessment/Screening

Practice

To help you prepare for a COVID-19 screening, try the following tips:

Although, the screening questions used can be slightly different at each public place, it can be helpful to answer a set of screening questions before you go to a public place.

Prior to going to a public place, follow these steps (you may wish to ask a trusted person to help you complete these steps, especially for the first few times):

  1. Print the Questions (we practice with the questions from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) – COVID-19 Screening Questions
  2. Read each question one at a time and circle your answers on the form. Your answers will either be YES or NO.
  3. Tip: If you are finding it difficult to answer the symptom related questions, use The Body Check Form to help you notice your body sensations or feelings in a more concrete manner.
  4. If you answered NO to all questions, you are considered low risk of COVID-19 infection, therefore will be granted access to the public space. If you answered YES to one or more of the questions, you may be at risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus to others. Talk with a trusted person about how you should proceed before leaving your home.
  5. When leaving your house, you can choose to bring your completed questions with you to the public place and use it as a guide in helping you answer the questions on the spot. If you feel anxious and/or are struggling to verbally answer the questions, it might help to read your answers from the completed questions or just show it to the person asking the screening questions. In order for them to accept your pre-completed questions, the person screening may need you to explain that you have autism and answering questions can be difficult (you can write this at the top of the page if needed)

Reflection

Did I answer COVID-19 Screening questions today?

If yes:

  • Did it go well?

If yes, great!

  • What helped you be successful in answering the questions? (make sure to do this again next time to help you have continued success)

If no:

  • What didn’t work well?
  • List any ideas to overcome what didn’t work well for next time (ask a trusted person if needed)