To all of our valued community partners,
First, thank you to each and every one of your for supporting our mission each and every day in your way. We could not have the impact in our community that we do without you!
I’m pleased to share that we currently do not have any instances of coronavirus within the organization.
You are some of this organization’s most valuable assets, and we want to protect you by instituting some new procedures while our community addresses the coronavirus situation.
We have asked all staff, volunteers, guests and visitors to follow the preventive measures below to lower chances for exposure and transmission:
• Stay home when you are sick with respiratory disease symptoms (fever, coughing, shortness of breath). At the present time, these symptoms are more likely due to influenza or other respiratory viruses than to COVID-19-related virus, but our aim is protect everyone’s health.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw it in the trash can.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Always wash your hands after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60%-95% alcohol
• Routinely clean frequently touched surfaces and objects with bleach-based solutions.
• Avoid touching your face, eyes or mouth.
• A big, warm smile is the best greeting you can give right now; avoid handshaking and hugging.
• Please consult with your supervisor about the possibility of working remotely.
• If you suspect you may have been exposed to or have contracted the virus, call all of your medical professionals immediately to arrange a test.
We are also stepping up sanitizing efforts in each of our facilities.
Our reasons for instituting these measures is to exercise an abundance of caution to protect our guests, staff and volunteers–and their families. We believe these common sense measures can support efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus and protect the capacity of community’s medical community to care for those who need hospital-level care.
That said, as I discussed on WFLA’s Bloom recently, we know that many members of our community do not have the resources to make the same preparedness steps of purchasing additional cleaning supplies and food, and so our services will be in even greater demand as our community weathers coronavirus. If you or someone you know is in need of our assistance, please know we have resources for you.
Or if you would like to join us in supporting our community, you can volunteer or make a gift to provide help and hope.
For all you do to help provide help and hope in our community, we appreciate you! Be well!
Kirk Ray Smith, CEO & President
RCS Pinellas