Coronavirus and Influenza Prevention Strategies

In the past few weeks, you’ve likely seen or heard news of the coronavirus. While there are no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Iowa at this time (as of March 3, 2020), the illness continues to rapidly evolve and spread. Now is the time to plan and prepare by promoting illness prevention strategies for not just the coronavirus but also influenza.

In order to prevent the spread of illnesses, recognizing symptoms is essential. Here are the symptoms you should watch for and monitor.

Symptoms

Symptoms have ranged from mild to severe, even including death. Awareness is key. Affected persons may present with the following symptoms:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

Illness Prevention

While out and about in the DSM community, efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and influenza will help keep people with weaker immune systems safe. Here are a few ways you can help:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• If employees feel sick, encourage them to stay home.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60-95% alcohol.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with your elbow or a tissue, and then wash your hands immediately afterwards.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, computers, phones and desks.

Planning and Preparedness

As we prepare for this potential risk, business owners and leaders can plan and prepare accordingly. Here are a few things you can do now to anticipate and reduce the risk within your organization:

• Review your emergency plans.
• Discuss plans and contingencies, including the need to work remotely, flex hours and the possibility of temporary office/store closures.
• Consider flexible policies for those that have absences due to their own illness or their family members.
• Read through the disaster preparedness informational pages on The Partnership’s website and visit the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives crisis management resource center to learn more.
• Review Iowa Department of Public Health’s workplace considerations: idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus

Stay informed and look for information from reliable and trusted sources, including:

• World Health Organization: who.int
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): cdc.gov
• Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH): idph.iowa.gov
• Polk County Health Department: polkcountyiowa.gov/health

You can count on The Partnership to continue to share accurate and fact-based updates as well. For now, it’s business as usual, review your plans and wash your hands.

Find these tips useful? Find more business tools and information by visiting the Business Resources page.