Here’s how Columbus government is preparing for possible coronavirus spread
Columbus city officials said Friday they are finalizing plans to ensure all essential services would continue in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak.
Johns Hopkins University, which maintains an interactive map of COVID-19 cases worldwide, reports nearly 137,000 cases have been confirmed as of March 13. Of those, 69,643 people have recovered and 5,069 have died.
As of March 13, there are 42 total confirmed COVID-19 cases in Georgia. None are in the Columbus area.
A 67-year-old man died in Georgia Thursday after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier this month. It was the state’s first coronavirus-related death.
“It’s a minute by minute situation,” said Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson. “We monitor it very closely. …It’s crazy how quickly this thing is moving.”
Department heads are working on COVID-19 contingency plans to ensure government operations continue if specific agencies or the consolidated government as a whole are directly affected by a COVID-19 case.
“They are working on those plans and getting them to me,” City Manager Isaiah Hugley said. “We wanted to (have them) in our hip pocket in the event something unforeseen happens.”
For example, Hugley said, if the city was unable to get inmates for waste collection because of an event at the prison, other city employees would handle the task.
Columbus Fire and EMS personnel have procedures in place to handle someone who might have COVID-19.
Before first responders begin working, a face mask would be placed on the possibly sick person. Emergency personnel would call into area hospitals in an effort to keep patients and others safe, Henderson said based on information he received from the department.
“We’re working on human asset management,” Henderson said. “Our focus is very simple. That’s to do everything humanly possible to try to protect the citizens of this area. We’re going to continue to work to do that.”
The city has been having conversations for the past week about taking care of employees who may get quarantined. No final plans have been enacted, Hugley said.
Some of the city’s IT employees are working from home. None are ill, but Hugley said the preparations are allowing the city to test a work from home policy it would like to expand in the future. As of Friday morning, Hugley did not know how many were working from home.
“If I can have an employee work from home this time to reduce the number of people in and around the government, we are going to do that,” Hugley said. “We are trying to put into practice something we want to have ongoing. It’s a practice we’re trying to move to. We’re not there yet, but we’re working on it.”
As of Friday afternoon, the city temporarily postponed events and closed off access to some city facilities from March 16 through April 3.
COVID-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that’s a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past.
Some people, like those ages 60 and older and individuals with chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease, are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
According to the state Department of Public Health, the best prevention measures for any respiratory virus are:
Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
If you have recently traveled to areas where there are ongoing outbreaks of COVID-19 and develop fever with cough and shortness of breath within 14 days of your travel, or if you have had contact with someone who is suspected to have COVID-19, stay home and call your health care provider or local health department right away.
Be sure to call before going to a medical facility and tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms.
This story was originally published March 13, 2020 at 12:25 PM.