International. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), coronaviruses are common in many different species of animals and can evolve and infect humans, and then spread.
Recent examples include SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. The novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a new respiratory virus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
Many patients in the Wuhan outbreak were reportedly linked to a large seafood and animal market that suggested animal-to-human spread. Symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath and can appear in as little as two days or up to 14 days after exposure. The immediate health risk of contracting the virus in the United States is considered low at this time.
What to do if you are sick with the novel coronavirus 2019
BOMA International published a series of recommendations:
Advise employees to stay home if they are sick. Buy supplies, such as tissues, soap, and alcohol-based hand cleaners to encourage healthy habits in the workplace.
Involve state and local health departments to confirm communication channels and methods for disseminating information about local outbreaks.
Other recommendations and considerations
Review your company's current pandemic flu plan or develop a new plan. Involve your employees in plan development and review. Familiarize yourself with the plan and share it and other policies with your employees.
Develop flexible leave policies to allow employees to stay home to care for sick family members or children, especially if schools lay off students or close child care programs.
Plan how business can continue if many employees must stay home. Designate and train other employees in case someone gets sick to make sure they can continue with their critical functions. Distribute educational literature on prevention. Literature can be found in the "Protect Yourself" section of the World Health Organization's coronavirus page (see link below).
Provide resources and a work environment that promotes hand washing and covers coughing and sneezing. Provide tissues, non-contact trash cans, hand soap, and alcohol-based hand cleaner. Offer education on how to wash your hands and cover coughs and sneezes in an easy-to-understand format.
