• Keep your workplace clean and disinfect surfaces regularly. If you don't have a policy, procedure, or check list for how this is done regularly now, develop one and begin implementation immediately. This should include wiping down surfaces like counters, door handles, restrooms, telephones, credit card pin pads, and keyboards with a strong disinfectant multiple times throughout the day.
• Promote regular and thorough hand washing for employees by providing easy access to washrooms that are fully stocked with ample soap, paper towels, and warm water.
• If possible, make hand sanitizer and tissues available for employees and customers in your place of business and check them for refills on a regular basis.
• Provide readily accessible garbage receptacles for employees and the public.
• Talk with your employees now about implementing practices that limit physical contact like handshaking. Propose an alternative and post something in your workplace to remind employees and inform customers or clients of the practice.
• Consider displaying posters or flyers for both employees and customers or clients that outline good hygiene practices like hand washing, minimizing face touching, sneezing and coughing into a sleeve or tissue, etc., and explain the steps your business or organization is taking to maintain a safe environment.
• Develop and distribute a plan for how your facility will respond if someone becomes ill with symptoms of COVID-19 in the workplace.

• Do you provide paid sick leave to your staff? Paid sick leave significantly diminishes the possibility that a sick employee will feel compelled to come to work, endangering their colleagues and your customer or clients.
• If you don't provide paid sick leave now, consider temporarily providing it for all workers, including part-time and contractors. Doing so can help protect the safety and viability of your business or organization.
• Are there methods or policies in place for sharing sick leave if an employee runs out of paid leave and still needs to remain in quarantine? If not, consider developing a policy.
• Do you have policies in place for teleworking for those who could potentially do so? If not, consider developing one now.
• Can your employees access the information they would need to work from home, via VPN, shared drives on the computer, work emails, or by other means? If so, test those systems now, perhaps thru a work-from-home drill, and fix any glitches that may arise in the system.
• Do you have a plan for flex working, such as working from home, or working in alternate shifts so as to minimize social contact between employees? Review those plans with your staff or consider developing one if you don't already have one.
• Use the resources available on this site to develop your  infectious disease response plan.

• Communication, utilizing accurate and timely information, and transparency are essential to maintaining a safe workplace. Sign up for public health alerts from  Alert Montgomery to stay informed.  Follow their advice closely.
• Talk with your employees now about the risks of COVID-19, proper hand and respiratory hygiene protocols, your expectations, and the importance of staying home, if needed. Everyone should be prepared to stay home for at least 14 days, not just if they are sick, but also if a family member is ill or if they learn they have been in contact with someone who is ill or contagious.
• Encourage employees to follow local health authorities' advice on how to reasonably prepare without overreacting. Filling essential prescriptions in advance, stocking up on food essentials, cleaning supplies, and pet food could prove useful if you are asked to self-isolate or quarantine for two weeks. Buying drinking water and excessive amounts of toilet paper is not necessary, nor are masks for healthy individuals.
• Update and review your hygiene and cleaning procedures and if you have a public-facing or service business consider posting information for those you serve about the measures you are taking to keep your employees and your customers or clients safe.
• Reach out to your janitorial service providers to discuss their health and hygiene procedures, the possibility and costs of contracting them for additional services, such as a deep clean/decontamination in case you learn a potentially contagious employee, customer or client was in your facility.
  • How would they dispose of potentially contaminated items?
  • Do they have sufficient cleaning products to conduct such a decontamination cleaning, i.e. gloves, disinfecting cleaning products, etc?
  • Do they provide paid sick leave to their cleaning staff so as to minimize the potential for a sick employee feeling compelled to work?

Are there sources for flyers and fact sheets I can distribute to my employees or print and display in my workplace?

The CDC has documents ready and available for printing on everything from proper hand washing to FAQs on COVID-19, what to do if you're sick, how to stop the spread of germs, and more. Most are available in English and Spanish, and many are available in other languages, as well. Visit the CDC  website for free downloads

Create a communication plan in case of emergencies. This should include:

• Update your emergency communications information for all employees, contractors, and supply chain businesses. Be sure you have current home and cell numbers, as well as personal email addresses, if possible.
• Stay ahead of information and rumors by being honest and transparent with employees, customers and clients. It builds trust, can help quash rumors, instills confidence, and diminishes fear.
  • Is there a room where they can wait that will keep them safely isolated?
  • Do they have a safe, reliable method to get home? Putting them on public transportation or a ride-share service could spread the virus further, so consider reaching out to their family members if they are unable to safely drive themselves.
  • If they are planning to go directly to a healthcare provider for examination and testing, it is very important to call ahead first so that the office, clinic, or emergency room can be ready with a higher hygiene protocol to protect their staff and other patients. If they don't have a provider, reach out to either the County Health and Human Services hotline (240-777-1755) or the State Department of Health (410-517-3720) for guidance.
• To prepare for a return to business, consult the  CDC's Interim Recommendations for Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection for community, non-healthcare facilities.
• Consider the impact on your employees of social isolation and anxiety. Mental health can be compromised in stressful situations, so offer support or access to resources if you are concerned about your employees' mental health and well-being.

Consider plans for how you might conduct your business of you had a significant spike in employee absenteeism. Questions to consider include:

• Could some staff work from home?
• Can you function with more limited hours or days you are open? For example, if your normal business hours require two shifts of staff, could you temporarily limit your business hours so that you only required one shift?
• Is it possible to limit the number of days you are open?
• Are you able to shift to provide your services or products through web-based platforms?

I operate a business that requires in-person work or service. How can I continue operating while also minimizing the risks of social contact?

• Social distancing is an important method for reducing the spread of COVID-19. If you are a restaurant or retail business, do you currently offer curb-side pick-up or delivery service via the phone or internet? If not, look into doing so now so you can have a plan in place. If you plan to have your employees begin delivery service, be sure to talk with your insurer first regarding liability issues.
• Remember to test out any new systems you may use, such as online payment, delivery, virtual meeting applications, websites, or payroll systems, etc.

Sign up for  Alert Montgomery's Public Health & Environment Alerts.