Lane County Covid-19 Return to Service
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Date
2020-06
Authors
Hudson, Kaylee
Matonte, Jay
Goldstein, Gennifer
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Oregon Policy Lab, Institute for Policy Research and Engagement, School of Planning, Public Policy, and Management
Abstract
As the incidence of new COVID_19 cases of began to slow, the federal, state, and local governments continued to establish guidelines and plans to reopen government business and society at large. Our report proposes guidance and a suggested framework for the Lane County government reopening.
It is estimated that the novel SARS-CoV-2 seeded in the U.S. in January of 2020. Since that time, the virus has spread exponentially in every state in the country. A shortage of testing supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE), the lack of effective treatments and a vaccine, and the aggressive nature of the virus have resulted in significant loss of life and economic loss; marginalized communities have been affected disproportionately, further victimizing our most vulnerable populations. Decisions and processes for reopening must be made in the context of all these challenges.
To create a framework for Lane County employees to return to service, the following sources were reviewed and considered: 1) literature on government responses and reopening after past pandemics, 2) examination of local governments’ current reopening plans (including the Lane County Blueprint), and 3) current Oregon State and federal guidelines. Through this evaluation two primary lenses emerged: operability and equity.
Operability requires a balance of health and productivity. We are recommending that in Phase 1 almost all business be conducted remotely. For Phase 2, we recommend: a) business that does not require in-person interaction continue to be conducted remotely, b) social distancing, sanitation, and PPE be employed and used consistently in office, c) masks be provided for visitors, d) physical barriers be erected (i.e. plexiglass), and e) visual cues be placed to reinforce social distancing. It is imperative that Lane County be adaptable and able to revert to previous phases in case of a COVID-19 spike.
Equity requires multiple contact points for the public: telephone, online, remote pick- up/drop-off boxes in accessible locations. Phase 2 allows for in-person appointments, and Phase 3 allows for a complete reopening of service counters. Outreach to individual communities and leaders, and gathering data and input from those communities, is vital now and moving forward.
Our team encourages Lane County to build on the Lane County Blueprint, incorporating processes that will ensure health, operability, equity, and adaptability through the COVID-19 crisis. The Blueprint has inventoried supplies and assessed capacity, which is excellent. What’s needed now is to build in processes on how to keep the curve flat while medical experts and scientists continue to search for and discover treatments and a vaccine.
Description
21 pages
Keywords
COVID-19, coronavirus, Lane County, Oregon