COVID-19: The latest coronavirus recommendations for organizations

March 6, 2020 - by Mason Luvera

NOTE: Please follow our COVID-19 Resources & Updates page for the most up-to-date information.

COVID-19: The latest Coronavirus Recommendations for Organizations

As COVID-19 concerns continue to evolve, businesses and organizations should stay up-to-date on the latest health and wellness recommendations to help ease employee and customer concerns while preventing the spread of the virus. Here’s a breakdown on where to get updates, and what to keep in mind.

Keep up with the latest recommendations from Washington State and King County Public Health:
As a best practice, follow the advice of King County Public Health for updates on the coronavirus outbreak. Businesses should also familiarize themselves with the Washington State Department of Health’s workplace resources and recommendations. As of this posting, King County Public Health reaffirms that coronavirus illness is relatively mild for most people, however they encourage businesses and organizations to remain highly-aware of the situation and do their part to help prevent the spread of the virus. The most important step is to encourage any ill employee to stay home.

Document impacts to your business:
While the coronavirus situation is still unfolding, the City of Bellevue recommends that all businesses and organizations carefully document any impacts to their business caused by the outbreak. From canceled events to economic losses, make sure to keep records and documentation that could be required for any insurance claims or potential relief programs from government agencies. Information on State of Washington relief programs and other resources can be found on the Governor's Office website.

Allow for flexible working arrangements:
While many workplaces in the region have built-in flex-time and work-from-home opportunities, employers should examine their existing policies and implement new or temporary ones to allow employees to remain at home as necessary. As community-spread widens, minimizing exposure to the virus is a critical method to reduce risk – allowing employees to work from home will decrease potential transmissions and exposure to the virus while easing stress and worry in the workplace.

Consider canceling or postponing large meetings and gatherings:
While there are currently no requirements to do so, King County Public Health recommends that businesses and organizations consider canceling or postponing large gatherings. If possible, consider doing both for any meetings, conferences or events you may have scheduled in the near future.

While much is still unknown about the impact this outbreak will have across the region, following these tips and keeping informed on the evolving situation will help you protect employees and minimize impact to your organization. The BDA encourages all to stay up-to-date and continue to be vigorous in helping prevent the spread of this outbreak.

The information contained in this post is not medical guidance and should be used for informational purposes only. The coronavirus situation is changing rapidly and we cannot guarantee continued accuracy. Please follow the WA State Department of Health and King County Public Health for the latest information and recomendations.