• Communications Resources
• CDC Resources
• Develop A Plan
• HR Resources
• LE/Fire/EMS Resources
• Public Meeting Guidance
• Vaccines
• VOSH/OSHA

• What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws
• COVID-19 Vaccination Policy – Voluntary
• COVID-19 Vaccination Policy – Mandatory
• COVID-19 Request for Accommodation – Medical Exemption From Vaccination
• COVID-19 Religious Accommodation Request Form
• Avoiding Workplace Violence: How Businesses Should React if Customers Become Violent When Asked to Wear a Mask
• Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools, and Homes
• COVID-19 Employee Health Screening Form
• COVID-19 Childcare or Sick Leave Authorization
• COVID-19 and FLSA/FLMA
• EEOC Pandemic Preparedness in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act

• Customizable Flier: Why Get Vaccinated?
• Customizable Flier: COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs
• Using VRSA Customizable Templates
• COVID-19 Vaccination Policy – Voluntary
• COVID-19 Vaccination Policy – Mandatory
• COVID-19 Request for Accommodation – Medical Exemption From Vaccination
• COVID-19 Religious Accommodation Request Form
• Why Language Matters When Communicating About COVID-19 Vaccinations

• Protecting Kids During COVID-19
• U.S. Department of Labor Issues Enforcement Guidance For Recording Cases of COVID-19
• IACP COVID-19 Fact Sheet
• Policing in a panic: COVID-19 response lessons agencies should immediately implement by Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D. at Policeone
• Ensuring Continuity of Police Operations During COVID-19
• COVID 19 Briefing 1 By: Jack Ryan
• COVID 19 Briefing 2 By: Jack Ryan
• COVID 19 Briefing 3 By: Jack Ryan
• International Association of Fire Chiefs COVID-19 Resources
• Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police COVID-19 FREE WebEx for Members
• COVID-19 Fire & EMS Impact Dashboard
• Commonwealth’s Attorneys Services Council (CASC) Guidance re EO-53
• Law Enforcement Considerations for COVID-19
• CDC Guidance for Law Enforcement
• CDC Guidance for EMS/First Responders

• COVID-19 Response and Infectious Disease Prevention Plan Template
• Safety and Health Codes Board Meeting Information
• Final Standard For Infectious Disease Prevention: SARS-CoV-2 Virus That Causes COVID-19, 16 VAC25-220
• VOSH/VDH COVID-19 REDCap System Reporting for Two or More Employees
• VOSH & DOLI COVID-19 Reference and Training Material
• EPA Registered Chemicals Known to Kill COVID-19 – Incorporated By Reference in the Permanent Standard
• Summary of Significant Changes- ETS to Permanent Standard
• Virginia’s Phase Three Guidelines – Updated December 2020
• Federal OSHA COVID-19 Enforcement Data
• Federal OSHA Enforcement Guidelines and Memorandums Specific to COVID-19
• Virginia Orders and Guidelines FAQ

Consistent communications is key – to both internal and external stakeholders. It is important to establish a process for communicating information to stakeholders regarding your outbreak response plans and latest COVID-19 information.

• Recorded Webinar: Crisis Communications in the Time of COVID-19
• CDC Crisis + Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) Manual

Trust and Credibility Are Key:

Do not release any information that has not been thoroughly vetted. Communicate in a timely manner, address misinformation, express empathy, and reaffirm your commitment to ensuring the safety of the community and staff.

Communications Channels:

Stakeholders receive information through a variety of communications channels, including: the local news; social media; direct e-mail communications; your entity’s website; and more.

To maximize receipt of your message, distribute information widely throughout as many communications channels as possible.

The Virginia Department of Health has developed a web page dedicated toward communicating about the Coronavirus. Consider developing a similar page on your entity website that you can point stakeholders to in other communications. Keep the page up-to-date with the most recent information and news.

Messaging:

Ensure your messaging is consistent and key throughout all communications. While you may not have all the answers, be prepared to address what your entity is doing to address the impact of Coronavirus (increased monitoring, education initiatives, etc.) and focus on your entity’s commitment toward keeping various publics informed and safe.

• Electronic Meeting Guidance – courtesy of the Virginia Municipal League
• Electronic Meetings Under FOIA and Coronavirus State of Emergency

The CDC encourages all employers to be ready to implement strategies to protect their workforce from COVID-19 while ensuring continuity of operations. During a COVID-19 outbreak, all sick employees should stay home and away from the workplace, respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene should be encouraged, and routine cleaning of commonly touched surfaces should be performed regularly.

Employers should:

• Ensure the plan is flexible and involve your employees in developing and reviewing your plan.
• Conduct a focused discussion or exercise using your plan, to find out ahead of time whether the plan has gaps or problems that need to be corrected.
• Share your plan with employees and explain what human resources policies, workplace and leave flexibilities, and pay and benefits will be available to them.
• Share best practices with others to improve community response efforts.

Recommendations for an Infectious Disease Outbreak Response Plan:

• Identify possible work-related exposure and health risks to your employees. OSHA has more information on how to protect workers from potential exposures to COVID-19.
• Review human resources policies to make sure that policies and practices are consistent with public health recommendations and are consistent with existing state and federal workplace laws (for more information on employer responsibilities, visit the Department of Labor and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission websites).
• Explore whether you can establish policies and practices, such as flexible worksites (e.g., telecommuting) and flexible work hours (e.g., staggered shifts), to increase the physical distance among employees and between employees and others if state and local health authorities recommend the use of social distancing strategies. Ensure that you have the information technology and infrastructure needed to support multiple employees who may be able to work from home.
• Identify essential business functions, essential jobs or roles, and critical elements required to maintain operations. Plan for how your entity will operate if there is increasing absenteeism.
• Plan to minimize exposure between employees and also between employees and the public, if public health officials call for social distancing.
• In some communities, early childhood programs and K-12 schools may be dismissed, particularly if COVID-19 worsens. Determine how you will operate if absenteeism spikes from increases in sick employees, those who stay home to care for sick family members, and those who must stay home to watch their children if dismissed from school. Businesses and other employers should prepare to institute flexible workplace and leave policies for these employees.
• Local conditions will influence the decisions that public health officials make regarding community-level strategies; employers should take the time now to learn about plans in place in each community where they have a business.