From the office of the President/CEO of Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce, Guy Occhiogrosso

Business Resources for COVID-19

To the business leaders in our Chamber network:

Like many of you, the Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce is closely following the updates regarding the COVID-19 (coronavirus).

As a resource, we wanted to provide you with a toolkit to ensure you have access to the most current information.

 

Expert Information

From a local perspective, we are following the lead of these three organizations:

–Whatcom County Health Department (WCHD)

-Specific business guidance is being directed to DOH or CDC (links below)

–Washington Department of Health (DOH)

– Specific information for employers – Workplace

–Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

– Interim Guidance for Business and Employers

–Peacehealth (UPDATED since original email & post)

 

Best Practices

Up to this point, the best advice we continue to see:

-Don’t panic. Please use standard advice during any flu season

-Please wash your hands frequently

-Personal health habits & awareness (don’t touch your face, cough into your elbow, clean/disinfect frequently used objects and surfaces)

-If you are sick, please stay home

-If your employees are sick, please work with them to work from home or use sick time

-If you suspect you have the virus, please call your primary care provider and follow their instructions before entering a medical facility

 

What’s Next

We (along with other local chambers) are attempting to organize a conference call with local experts specifically for the business community.

If scheduled, we will send out an email to members.

If you have any questions, please let me know.  guy@bellingham.com

 

More Information for Businesses

Here is a list of resources provided by the US Chamber of Commerce:

Guidance For Employers – Click here to download guidance for employers to plan and respond to the Coronavirus.

Workplace Tips – For workplace tips and resources for employers to combat the virus, please click here.

Corporate Aid Tracker – Click here to view our corporate aid tracker for details on how businesses are helping nationwide.

Survey on Business Impact – To view business impact survey results from the American Chamber of Commerce in China, click here.

Resilience in a Box – If your business needs help putting a plan in place, click here to use the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s toolkit created in partnership with the UPS foundation.

More Resources – For more resources, including consolidated, business-specific guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), please click here.

 

For more in-depth business oriented information:

Harvard Business Review – 8 Questions Employers should ask about Coronavirus

McKinsey & Company – COVID-19: Implications for business

 

Please keep yourself, colleagues, employees, and families safe. We currently feel there is no need to panic, but rather be smart as we would during any flu season.

If you have any questions, please reach out to me.  guy@bellingham.com