County Offices Developing Plans For COVID-19

As of Tuesday morning, there were no confirmed cases of the COVID-19 “coronavirus” in Mills County, but Mills County department heads have been instructed to develop a plan should their individual offices be affected by the disease.Department heads from all county offices gathered at the Mills County Courthouse Tuesday morning to discuss the COVID-19 virus with Mills County Public Health Administrator Julie Lynes and Public Health Nurse Lorri Greiner.“There are no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Mills County, but that could change,” Greiner said. “It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.”Lynes encouraged the department heads to have an operational plan in place should their office be impacted or exposed to the virus. She encouraged businesses to develop similar plans and to identify exposure risks for employees and customers.Managers should review their office policies and practices and make sure they are consistent with public health recommendations and consistent with existing state and federal workplace laws.Employers should prepare for increased numbers of employee absences due to illness or employee exposure to the virus.Managers should explore the possibility of employees working from their homes, when possible, and a plan should be in place for the potential closure of an office.Lynes said encourag-ing employees who are not feeling well or experiencing symptons of the COVID-19 virus to stay home from work contradicts the “work ethic” instilled in many people.“It is a change in mindset,” she said.Both Lynes and Greiner stressed the importance of not bringing the virus into a public setting.Mills County Public Health Offials are working closely with the Iowa Department of Public Health and the Centers For Disease Control in monitoring and updating the ongoing situation.