COVID-19 for City of Detroit employees

2020

To all City of Detroit employees:

The City of Detroit Health Department, in concert with the Wayne County and State Health Departments, have been in communication regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19). The current status in our geographic area remains at the lowest level which is the Alert Phase. During this phase our team members in the Detroit Health Department are actively monitoring the virus and reported cases.

While being at the lowest level, with two reported cases in the state, we stress the importance of educating our employees and the institution of preventable measures so that a healthy workplace is achieved. Serving our residents and visitors is our primary function and to be present for them in essential.

During this alert phase, in order to keep the spread of infectious diseases down, employees should:

Practice everyday preventive actions

  • Modify handshaking and consider an elbow to elbow greeting.
  • Frequently wash hands, with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
  • When sneezing or coughing, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, and discard the tissue. If you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve and by all means not your hands.
  • Avoid touching your face.
  • Periodically wipe down your workstation and commonly used surfaces (for example, doorknobs, keyboards, phones, remote controls, and desks) with sanitizing materials.
  • Employees who use pool vehicles should use sanitizing materials to wipe the steering wheel, and gear shifter.
  • Office cleaning personnel have been instructed to wipe doorknobs daily with provided sanitizing materials.

Use sick time when necessary

  • We ask that all employees ensure that the use of sick time is appropriate as it may be needed in case of illness.
  • Employees who feel ill, and exhibit symptoms should seek the professional services of a health care provider and notify your supervisor of absence as soon as possible. The symptoms are, acute respiratory illness (consistent coughing), shortness of breath, and fever of 100.4 degrees or greater.
  • All employees who have been in contact with a person who have been exposed to the COVID-19 should seeks the professional services a healthcare provider and notify your supervisor.
  • Employees who have been exposed to COVID-19 will not be allowed to work until properly cleared by healthcare provider.

Ensure contact information is up to date with your department

  • Please ensure that your contact information is up to date with your department. In the event of a building closure, your supervisor will need to disseminate instructions.

Additional questions can be answered by contacting the Detroit Health Department at 313.876.4000 or [email protected] or by visiting the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website at https://www.cdc.gov.

We will continue to monitor and update regularly.

Sincerely,

Hakim W. Berry

Chief Operating Officer