COVID 19 Update for Joplin Business.

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Dear Joplin Business Leaders:
During these challenging times, as the situation with the COVID-19 coronavirus continues to develop, I am reaching out to inform the Joplin business community of the measures the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce is taking to minimize the negative economic impact while still promote public health and safety, and what you can do to help.
Preparedness
We need our business community to embrace these new norms, show leadership, and be vigilant while remaining calm. Below are recommended strategies from the CDC for employers to use:
o   Actively encourage sick employees to stay home.
o   Separate sick employees.
o   Emphasize staying home when sick, respiratory etiquette, and hand hygiene by all employees.
o   Perform routine environmental cleaning.
o   Employees who are well but who have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 should notify their supervisor and refer to CDC guidance for how to conduct a risk assessment of their potential exposure.
o   If an employee is confirmed to have COVID-19, employers should inform fellow employees of their possible exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace but maintain confidentiality as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Employees exposed to a co-worker with confirmed COVID-19 should refer to CDC guidance for how to conduct a risk assessment of their potential exposure.
For more information, refer to the CDC’s Guidance for Businesses and Employers web page.
Prepare To Work Remotely
The Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce has compiled a list of resources to provide general information about the virus and a list of applications that can help employees collaborate effectively, even when they must work remotely:
Ways To Support Local Businesses:
The Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Joplin Alliance have been assembling data from our local retailers and restaurant owners. We will be compiling this information into a new website that will launch in the coming days as a public directory of local businesses that offer gift cards, food pickup, and food delivery, including links to those points-of-purchase. If your business offers gift cards, food delivery, or food pickup, please contact lisa@joplincc.com with those details so we can add your business to the new website under development.
Video Conference Calls
We have been conducting video conferences with our retailers and restaurant owners to communicate critical information and to answer questions. We want to expand this communication channel to better service our business community. Tomorrow (Thursday, March 19th) I will host TWO video/phone conference calls to discuss the council’s action and give further updates relevant to our business community.
For retailers, restaurants/bars, and coffee shop owners:
10:00am Video/Phone Conference: https://zoom.us/j/7257203926
For all other business community members:
11:00am Video/Phone Conference: https://zoom.us/j/7257203926
Toby Teeter | President
Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce
CITY OF JOPLIN
Mayors State of Emergency Proclamation Likely Tonight
There will be a Joplin City Council Special Meeting tonight (Wednesday, March 18th) at 6:00 pm. The council will consider a Proclamation of State of Emergency in the City of Joplin authorizing the Mayor to issue further prohibitions to protect public health. The action to be taken is still to be determined at this time. Stay tuned tonight.
Local public health officials have been meeting, nearly daily, at the Chamber offices. Behind the scenes, these public health officials and leaders from both of our health systems are working in coordination to ensure our local healthcare resources are applied efficiently and effectively to confront this pandemic.
For additional information on city update, refer to the City of Joplin’s website.
The SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program
The Federal Government has authorized $50 billion in disaster recovery loan
Funding to be administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). To activate the program, the SBA needs your help. In order to assist with the required process to have the Joplin region apply and qualify as an official “economic injury disaster area” for the SBA’s “Economic Injury Disaster Loans” program for small businesses and private non-profit entities, the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce has created this economic impact survey, a required step before the Governor can request SBA Disaster Assistance in response to the COVID-19.
ACTION ITEM: Please complete this short survey by 10:00 am, Thursday March 19th: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/?sm=CmW9oKVjImzs8zFvI5UT3w_3D_3D
Once the SBA approves our disaster declaration, small businesses and non-profits will be eligible for low-interest, long-term loans for physical and economic damages caused by a declared disaster. To learn more about the program, go here: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/Information/Index