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City of Roanoke Employee Information: Coronavirus
PLANNING TO TRAVEL?
- Be Sensible and Aware. When travelling, try to avoid "Hot Spot" areas with high concentrations of COVID-19 cases. If you are traveling within the United States or abroad, adhere to that specific locality’s/country’s guidelines.
- Prior to traveling, employees may check the Harvard Global Health Institute’s COVID-19 Risk Levels Dashboard at https://globalepidemics.org/ to view the risk level by states and counties. For the purpose of this guidance, the City of Roanoke’s COVID-19 Advisory Team (“CAT”) will adhere to the Institute’s framework as the risk levels of employee travel plans are determined. The calculation and determination risk levels will be as follows:
- Green (On Track for Containment) - < 1 daily new cases per 100,000 people (Monitor with viral testing and contact tracing programs)
- Yellow (Community Spread) – 1 to 9 daily new cases per 100,000 people (Rigorous test and trace programs advised)
- Orange (Accelerated Spread) – 10 – 24 daily new cases per 100,000 people (Stay-at-home orders and rigorous test and trace programs advised)
- Red (Tipping Point) - > 25 daily new cases per 100,000 population (Stay-at-home orders necessary)
Note: The dashboard displays COVID risk levels for each county in the United States, which are calculated based on daily cases per 100,000 people (with a 7 day rolling average).
Travel Advisory Form Submittal:
- Employees who have traveled or who plan to travel will be required to notify their supervisors and complete a “COVID-19 Travel Advisory Form” at least two (2) weeks before travel (when possible).
- Employees may obtain the form by clicking here.
- A link to the form may also be found on the Lotus Notes homepage under “News and Announcements” – titled “COVID-19 Travel Advisory Form". (Click link here https://www.roanokeva.gov/FormCenter/COVID19-Resources-40/City-of-Roanoke-COVID19-Travel-Advisory-182.)
- The travel advisory form will include the employee contact information, travel destination, mode of transportation, social distancing practices during the visit, and any “at risk” exposure activities.
- Within 24 to 48 hours of submission, the form will be reviewed by an on-duty CAT member to determine if the employee’s travel plan is high risk. CAT members will utilize the same Harvard Global Health Institute’s COVID-19 Risk Levels Dashboard as recommended in the guidance above for employees.
- If a CAT member determines the employee’s travel to be at a high risk level (red), the employee will be contacted and informed to call the Employee Health Clinic at (540) 853-2045 to schedule an appointment for a post-travel COVID-19 assessment immediately upon his/her return home and prior to their return to work.
- Note: Employees who travel by air or via mass transit may be given special considerations due to the risks involved with air and mass transit traveling.
- Based on the Employee Health Clinic staff’s assessment, employees may be deemed high risk of exposure and required to self-isolate for a designated period of time before they are given authorization to return to work.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Work-related travel outside the Roanoke Valley area is suspended until further notification by the City Manager or unless deemed essential by the City Manager, Assistant City Manager’s, Council-Appointed Officers, or Constitutional Officers.
For information about the COVID-19 vaccine from the Virginia Department of Health, click here or visit: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-vaccine/
For information from the FDA concerning the COVID-19 vaccine, click here or visit: https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines
Travel Related Documents & Administrative POPs
Effective Friday May 29, 2020 until further notice, Executive Order 63 from Virginia Governor Ralph Northam is in effect.
Starting June 5, 2020, Executive Order 65 from Virginia Governor Ralph Northam will take effect.
- For frequently asked questions concerning this order and what it means for you and your family or business, click here.
- To read Executive Order 65, regarding Phase 2 Reopening, click here.
- To read Executive Order 63, click here.
- To read Executive Order 53, click here.
- To read Executive Order 55 issued on 3/30/20, click here.
- For information about Roanoke’s Recovery/Reopening, click here.
City of Roanoke Planned Reopening:
- June 8: Reopening of Municipal Building for transactions with the Treasurer’s Office (non-DMV Select) and the Commissioner of Revenue – Public Hours 8:30-4:00
- June 15: Limited recall of staff to municipal buildings to prepare for more general opening
- June 15: Begin Feed and Read Curbside Services
- June 15: Reopen Parks Restrooms and Restart Shelter Reservation System (with attendance limits)
- June 15: begin promotion of limited Summer Youth Programs
- July 1: Expansion of Treasurer operations to include DMV-Select services
- July 6: Limited Reopening of Municipal Building, Libraries, etc. to general public
- July 6: Begin Limited Summer Youth Programs
- To see the City of Roanoke’s Reopening Plan, click here.
Questions to ask to determine if an employee should remain at home or come to work, if returning from vacation/travel, or if they have a loved one who is returning from vacation travel.
1. Do you know if the employee's traveled by air or car? Yes, by car. Individual may return to work. If by air, go to question 2.
2. Did he/she travel through an international airport? Yes. Individual stays home for 72 hours.
- Has the employee been exposed to Coronavirus?
If the employee has been exposed or had close contact with someone who has the virus, then the employee is expected to stay home for 14 days.
4. Is he/she demonstrating signs of the virus? Fever, cough, etc. Yes. Individual stays home for 72 hours.
5. Is he/she coming in from an area that had cases of Coronavirus? Yes. Individuals stay home for 14 days.
For more information on guidance for individuals who have traveled see https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/after-travel-precautions.html
Employee Resources
- COVID-19 Vacation.pdf
- Administrative Procedure 2.34 Signed by CM.pdf
- COVID-19 Assessment Triage Testing Services.pdf
- Employee Communication- Self-Screening COVID-19.pdf
- Administrative Procedure 2.33 - Face Coverings 5-29-2020.pdf
- Coronavirus and Masks Roanoke Employees Guidance 4-14-2020.pdf
- COVID19-symptoms.pdf
- E166-Calm-Fear-Coronavirus-1.pdf
- Employee Health Clinic Information 4-14-2020.pdf
- FFCRA Poster - Coronavirus Act.pdf
- share-facts-h.pdf
- stop-the-spread-of-germs.pdf
Can I go to a park?
YES! It's important to get outside but remember to go to parks that offer enough space for social distancing. You can bike, hike, fish or jog but avoid doing these activities with groups. Contact activities such as frisbee, football or other sports should only be played with immediate family members. You can also virtually visit some of our National Parks by clicking here.
What about playgrounds?
It's not recommended to use playgrounds during social distancing. Coronavirus can live on playground equipment.
Are beaches safe?
It's not so much the water that's unsafe but the crowds that are usually at the beach. It's not likely that coronavirus is spread through ocean water, but only go to beaches with smaller crowd keeping a safe distance from others.
A neighborhood walk?
YES! Take your children or dogs for a walk around the block is safe in more suburban areas. Just keep a safe distance from others.
Some other great ideas......
- Relax!
- Continue education....many schools have sent out packets of info for the kiddos and are also using online meeting tools like Zoom, Loom or GotoMeeting.
- Watch videos to learn or practice a new skill - perfect time to learn a new language or master knitting!
- Learn a musical instrument.
- Read a book!
- Look for great virtual things to do online like tours of museums, parks, storytimes and others. Use google or YouTube for lots of great information.
- Learn and/or practice meditation.
- Cook something new.
- Exercise!
- Work on spring cleaning.
- Play video, card or board games with your family.
- Paint or do a craft.
- Garden
- Use social media to communicate with friends and loved ones - but be careful and not use social media too much!
- Make a scavenger hunt for your kids.
- You know that scrapbook you've been working on? Complete that with help from your family.
- Draw with sidewalk chalk outside - get creative!
- Write a letter and mail to a friend or older adult that might be isolated at home or at a senior center.
- Call or video chat a friend that you haven't talked to in a while.
- Learn a new dance routine.
- Binge watch that show you've been wanting to check out!
- Buy gift cards to small businesses to use at a later date.
- Support small businesses and listen to some great music with "Rock to the Rescue" sponsored by Dr. Pepper Park at the Bridges! More info will be shared, but make sure to visit the Dr. Pepper Park at the Bridges Facebook Page by clicking here. Check out the news article here.
- Go to the opera- Virtually! Click here for info from the Met!
- Visit an Historic Site virtually! Click here for a link.
- Virtual Tour 12 museums by clicking here.
- Also, check out Play Roanoke's Happiness Project for some great ideas! Click here for all of the info.
- Roanoke Libraries are offering story times and other great ideas on their YouTube Channel. Click here for info.
- Tips to Remain "Sane & Safe" During Social Distancing
- If you have children, grandchildren, or other family members/friends with Roanoke City Public Schools, you can click here for the latest news on how they are operating during the coronavirus pandemic. Make sure to follow them on social media as well for some heartwarming stories of how the school system is serving our community.