CDC Issues New Guidance to Slow Spread of COVID-19
Originally published by the following source: SBC Magazine — March 17, 2020
by SBCA Staff
As of March 16, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have issued the following guidance to slow the spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus:
When there is no spread of COVID-19 in the community:
- Encourage staff and attendees to stay home if sick.
- Develop flexible refund policies for attendees.
- Provide supplies that can be used to help prevent the spread of germs.
- Consult local public health officials about your event.
- Review considerations on when to cancel an event.
If there is minimal or moderate spread in your community:
- Cancel events for groups of 250 people or more.
- 3/16/20 UPDATE: During the next 15 days, all U.S. events of 10+ people should be cancelled or held virtually.
- For organizations that serve people who are at higher risk of serious COVID-19 illness, cancel events for groups of 10 people or more.
If there is substantial spread in your community:
- Cancel events of any size.
Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities. Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies.
On March 12, the CDC updated its interim guidance regarding “mass gatherings,” events where the spread of COVID-19 could happen very rapidly due to the number of interactions between people.
The CDC also created the following slides that provide concise and pertinent reminders on how to limit the spread of COVID-19 (click on the images for larger versions):
