For the month of March 2020, I was planning on sending out our regular newsletter but in view of the Coronavirus pandemic, I thought it would be more appropriate to address this issue with some thoughts and ideas for your consideration.
The first thing I would like to express is my heartfelt concern for all of you. Every one of us is very precious and I hope you, your family, colleagues, and friends are all safe and well.
Without question, the past couple of weeks have been rather surprising. We’ve gone from shopping at the malls, eating at restaurants, and attending events to hunkering down in our homes. Although there are going to be several inconveniences in the short term, hopefully our collective efforts will help to minimize the spread of this virus.
Here at CMI, we have been doing quite a bit of research on infectious diseases, including the Coronavirus, and what’s necessary to keep our staff, families, and community as safe as possible. Along with the government’s guidelines, here’s what we are doing to try and minimize the spread of this disease and support one another.
Decreased the number of team members at the office – Due to our collection and call center technology, we are able to let many of our staff work from home. Even with this arrangement, we can assure you that our operation is continuing smoothly, securely, and without any interruption as to the level and quality of our services.
For the few team members at our office, we have employed the following measures:
Keeping a safe social distance – Although it seems awkward at first to be talking face to face at least 6 feet apart, that’s what is necessary.
Washing hands often – It’s especially imperative to wash them thoroughly for 20 seconds (sing Happy Birthday two times).
Placing liquid sanitizer and wipes around the office – We’ve also included sanitizing hand cream so that the hands don’t get dried out.
No sharing of personal items – This goes without saying.
Disinfecting the “hot zones” – The kitchen and washrooms can have a high concentration of bacteria and other infectious agents.
Cleaning our work surfaces – This not only includes desk tops and computer screens, but also phones, light switches, and any other surfaces where there’s a lot of contact.
Rubber gloves and masks – This is optional at this point but we are providing these to our team members. Rubber gloves and masks are another level to guard against the spread of the virus.
Staying at home – If anyone should start to feel even the slightest bit unwell, it’s time to head home and stay there.
For the community at large:
Expanding our outreach – As we have been involved with Meals on Wheels for many years, we are expanding our efforts to reach those elderly individuals who were independent before this outbreak, but now need to stay at home for an extended period of time. It’s all part of our shared community responsibility.
Encouraging children to participate – With many children out of school for the next few weeks and more time on their hands, encouraging them to call and/or FaceTime their grandparents and other relatives more frequently will help to keep their spirits up. This is especially needed for those in assisted living and nursing home facilities where personal visits have been sidelined. Donating an I-Pad to a facility is also a great way to help facility residents/patients stay connected to their loved ones. Seeing each other’s smiling faces is worth a thousand words!
The above items are not a complete list and are evolving as the situation requires. But whether you continue to stay at work or at home, I hope the above is a helpful guide in keeping you and those around you very safe, secure, and healthy.
Finally, always feel free to contact us should you have any questions or concerns about your accounts, our services, or any other issues that come to mind accordingly.
Again, please stay safe and well during this time.
Nancy Seiverd
President
