Businesses that are still open during the state of Ohio’s stay-at-home COVID-19 order should keep all documentation updated that qualifies the business as essential.
“You need to document how your business qualifies as essential by citing the specific section from the Ohio Department of Health Director’s stay-at-home order,” according to information from the Logan County Health District.
Employees of some of these essential businesses, and concerned citizens alike have contacted the local health district office with “numerous questions” about what makes a business “essential,” and why some places are open and others are closed during this period of social distancing.
Additionally, businesses are required to have and keep a written COVID-19 policy documenting how businesses are protecting their employees from potentially contracting coronavirus.
The health district is requesting that all documents are up-to-date and made available to all employees.
Health district officials have confirmed that they will follow up on citizen complaints and can request to see required paperwork from businesses.
“If we get complaints about your facility, we will be requesting such documentation and making visits to make sure that you are ensuring the that your employee’s health and safety are your top priority,” health officials related in a press release.
To help, the health district offers the following recommendations:
• Actively encourage sick employees to stay home until they are free of fever (without the use of medication) for at least 72 hours (three full days) AND symptoms have improved for at least 72 hours AND at least seven days have passed since symptoms first began. Do not require a health department or healthcare provider’s note to validate illness or return to work to reduce the burden on the healthcare provider at this time. Consider allowing employees who are 60 years and older to work from home.
• Ensure that sick leave policies are up to date, flexible, and non-punitive to allow sick employees to stay home to care for themselves, children, or other family members. Request employees to do a self-assessment each day for COVID-19 symptoms (cough, fever of 100.4 or higher, or shortness of breath).
• Separate employees who appear to have respiratory illness symptoms from other employees and send them home immediately.
• Reinforce key messages to all employees – stay home when sick, use cough and sneeze etiquette, and practice hand hygiene. Provide protection supplies such as soap and water, hand sanitizer, and tissues.
• Frequently perform enhanced environmental cleaning of commonly touched surfaces by using virus-killing (virucidal) sanitizers, 70% isopropyl alcohol or 10% bleach/water solutions.
• Maintain strict 6-foot social distancing between employees and visitors in your facility, where possible.
• Consider leaving doors propped open to reduce the number of high touch areas.