CORNAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19)

Updated March 2020

The coronavirus has many of us concerned about the impact of this virus on us and on our workplace. It is important to be prepared, but not respond or act based on fear. Basic health precautions appear to be the most effective in stopping the spread of any illness. Management is monitoring the CDC and local health department web sites, and will act based on those recommendations. In an abundance of caution, we have also begun to review business continuity plans in preparation for any potential impact. For the latest information on activity, prevention, and treatment, the best way to stay current is to periodically visit the following sites:

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/
NYC Department of Health: https://www.health.ny.gov

The following recommendations have been provided by the CDC:

Sick employees should stay home:

Employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home and not come to work until they are free of fever for at least 24-hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicine (e.g. cough suppressants). Employees should notify their supervisor and stay home if they are sick.

Utilize respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene by all employees:

Clean hands often with soap and water for at least 2 seconds of use of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Soap and water should be used preferentially if hands are visibly dirty.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow. Throw used tissues in the trash.
Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol

Perform routine environmental cleaning:

Clean all frequently touched surfaces in workplace, such as workstations, countertops, doorknobs.

Advise employees before traveling to take certain steps:

Check the CDC’s Traveler's Health Notice for the latest guidance and recommendations for each country to which you will travel.

Employees who become sick while traveling should notify their supervisor and should promptly call a healthcare provider for advice is needed.

Additional measures in response to currently occurring sporadic importations of the COVID – 19

Employees who are will but who have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 should notify their supervisor and refer to CDC guidance for how to conduct a risk assessment of their potential exposure: Resources for Home - COVID-19

If an employee is confirmed to have COVID-19, we will inform fellow employees of their possible exposure.

FACTS

The new coronavirus causes a respiratory disease called COVID-19.

Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath.

Illness due to the virus is generally mild, however, it can cause serious illness. The World Health Organization says about 1 in every 5 people who catch it need hospital care.

Similar to the seasonal flu, coronavirus is thought to spread through close contact when an infected person coughs or sneezes, shooting droplets through the air – sometimes as far as 6 feet – and through hand-to-hand spread. Contamination can occur when an object with the virus is touched and transmitted to your mouth, nose, or eyes.

While scientists are hard at work to understand how the virus spreads, no one yet knows how long the virus can survive on surfaces or other ways it may spread.

Older people and those who have ailments like diabetes or lung disease appear to be at highest risk of getting a severe case.

Because effective human immunity has not yet been built for this type of virus, the number of community-spread cases is expected to rise in the next few months.

A vaccine is not expected for 12 to 18 months, so infection prevention is especially important.

PREVENTION

Practice everyday habits that protect us from common respiratory illness.

Get the flu vaccine. Since flu mimics the coronavirus, you may think you have COVID-19 when you don’t.

Wash you hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap is not available, use alcohol-based hand gel.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

Cough or sneeze into the crook of your arm or a tissue, not into your hands or the air.

Quickly discard all tissues.

Avoid shaking hands, especially during an outbreak of a virus.

Stay home when you are sick. You’re not doing your boss or colleagues a favor by coming to work when sick and making others ill.