COVID-19 has resulted in more than 7,000 confirmed cases in the U.S. (See map of states with reported cases.)
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the latest research has determined an incubation period of five days, with a range of two to 14 days. Similar to the flu and other respiratory viruses, transmission of COVID-19 spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets (e.g. from sneezing, coughing) exchanged among close contacts (those who interact with a person at a distance closer than about 6 feet).
Consider taking these steps on your operation to help prevent the spread of the disease:
1. Prepare your disaster contingency plan. What will you do if 50% of your employees become sick and unable to work? Are there neighboring outfits who might be able to share resources in an emergency? Who will manage for a few weeks if you or another key manager are unable to leave your house or are hospitalized?
2. Be prepared to deal with shortages in resources and personnel as supply chain disruptions filter down to the consumer level. As more workers are out sick, the hole in labor supply may create more delays sending or receiving product. International shipping and manufacturing, especially from China, has dropped and will take time to rebound. Decreased port activity, specifically on the West Coast where high concentrations of COVID-19 have been identified, will also impact the availability of some commonly used products and supplies. Experts estimate disruptions in the supply chain could last three months or longer.
If you have employees:
1. Print the CDC factsheets and posters, and post in your workplace and employee housing facilities.
2. Provide guidance to help employees clean and disinfect employer-provided housing. Follow up with employees and manage the process to be sure this happens. Set up a regular weekly and daily schedule for cleaning (CDC guidance for cleaning homes).
3. Clean and disinfect common work areas. The employee breakroom and bathroom are great places for virus to be transmitted. Clean and disinfect any areas where employees congregate or routinely touch items such as doorknobs and computer keyboards. Set up daily and weekly cleaning schedules.
4. Provide cleaning supplies such as cleaning solutions, buckets, mops, brushes, etc. for cleaning at work and for those living in employer-provided housing (CDC list of approved anti-microbial cleaning products).
5. Review your sick leave policy. The first advice for people who are sick is to stay home except to get medical care. Do you provide paid sick leave for your employees? If you do not, will employees feel financially obligated to come to work even if they are sick?
6. Communicate with employees that they should stay home if they are sick. Employees sometimes come to work believing they will face punishment or firing if they miss work. Be sure your employees understand that their health and that of their coworkers’ comes first. Communicate and make a plan to cover for sick employees. The CDC provides posters in English and Spanish covering symptoms of COVID-19.
Get updates on the COVID-19 situation at the CDC coronavirus website. 
—Some guidelines contributed by the Cornell University Cooperative Extension.
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Carrie Veselka
- Editor
- Progressive Cattle
- Email Carrie Veselka
