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HomeMy Public PortalAboutLTC 033-2020 Bal Harbour Village Response to Coronavirus COVID-19BAL HARBOUR - VILLAGE - OFFICE OF THE VILLAGE MANAGER LETTER TO COUNCIL NO. 033-2020 TO: Mayor Gabriel Groisman and Members of the Village Council FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, Village Mana DATE: February 28, 2020 SUBJECT: Bal Harbour Village Response to Coronavirus COVID-1 9 This Lettertothe Council is intended to inform the Bal Harbour Village Council, employees, and residents of the precautionary measures to be taken by the Administration to effectively respond to the impact of the Coronavirus Covid-19. According to the Center for Disease Control, (CDC) the Coronavirus COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person and is a rapidly evolving situation. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a new coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China. Patients with this virus have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness. Symptoms can include fever, cough, and shortness of breath and may appear 2-14 days after exposure. In some cases, the virus has caused deaths. On January 31, 2020, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar declared a public health emergency for the United States to aid the nation's healthcare community in responding to COVID-19. As of this writing, there has been only one reported case of coronavirus in the US. This case has been reported in northern California, and attributed to local community spread. This case is apparently not related directly to the significant number of cases in China, Italy, South Korea, Iran and Japan. To date, there are no cases reported in the state of Florida. Widespread transmission of the virus would translate into large numbers of people needing medical care at the same time, overwhelming hospitals and clinics. Currently, there is no vaccine to protect against COVID-19 and no medications approved to treat it. In addition, there is no data relative to how long a recovery might take. Other critical infrastructure, such as law enforcement, emergency medical services and transportation industry will be impacted. The CDC has recommended the following interim guidance or measures to help prevent Page 2 of 3 LTC — Coronavirus workplace exposures to acute respiratory illnesses, including the COVID-19, in non -health care settings. This guidance also involves planning considerations if there are more widespread community outbreaks of COVID-19. The following recommended strategies are for employers to use now, including Bal Harbour Village Department Directors, supervisors, employees as well as Village residents and private employers: • Actively encourage sick employees to stay home. Employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home and not come to work until they have no fever. • Separate sick employees. CDC recommends that employees who appear to have acute respiratory illness symptoms (i.e. cough shortness of breath) upon arrival to work or become sick during the day should be separated from other employees and be sent home immediately. Sick employees should cover their noses and mouths with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. • Emphasize respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene by all employees. Place posters that encourage hand hygiene at the entrance to the workplace and other places where employees are likely to frequent. Provide tissues and no -touch disposal receptacles for use by employees and visitors. Instruct employees to clean their hands often with an alcohol -based hand sanitizer or wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. • Perform routine environmental cleaning. Routinely clean all frequently touched surfaces in the workplace such as work stations, countertops and doorknobs with cleaning agents, and disposable wipes. • Additional measures in response to currently occurring sporadic importations of COVID-19: Employees who are well, but who have a sick family member at home with COVID-19, should notify their supervisor and refer to CDC guidance for risk assessment of their potential exposure. If an employee is confirmed to have COVID- 19, employers should inform fellow employees of their possible exposure in the workplace but maintain confidentiality as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Employers should prepare for possible increased numbers of employee absences due to this viruses' negative impact on family members, potential dismissal of early childhood programs and K-12 schools as a precautionary measure to curb the spread of the disease. The severity of the COVID-19 is unknown at this time. If there is evidence of a COVID- 19 outbreak in South Florida, employers, including Department Directors, should plan to respond in a flexible way to varying levels of severity and be prepared to refine their response plans as needed. At this time, the CDC is advising that the immediate health risk for those not in a healthcare setting is considered low. The CDC is advising that some employees may be at higher risk for severe illness, such as older adults and those with chronic medical conditions. As Manager, with the assistance of my Department Directors and their staff, we will take every measure, action and precaution possible to prevent the spread of this virus. We Page 3 of 3 LTC — Coronavirus will continue to monitor and adhere to the recommendations of the CDC, State of Florida Department of Health, the Miami -Dade County Department of Health, and other concerned officials and organizations. The Village remains in contact with the Miami -Dade County Emergency Operations Center, and will relay any pertinent information with the Council and the community as necessary. JMG/RMF/ME/MG/DM