It’s not easy to know what to do in such an unprecedented situation as the COVID-19 pandemic. You community needs to stay safe and healthy, but you must also not overstep the law and the emergency powers given to the board.
Quarantining is different in a community but it can still be executed safely and effectively. While we need to take the pandemic very seriously, it is important to find a balance in quarantine policy in order to avoid panic and to make sure that residents’ freedoms aren’t unnecessarily restricted.
Here are our recommendations for placing a quarantine policy in your community.
- Monitor closely recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as those of federal, state, and local officials. This is your first stop for verifiable information that you can us in your decision making.
- Close facilities, where possible. We recently wrote a blog on closing common areas. It is legally justified to do so, but you must still follow the Fair Housing Act.
- Cancel all gatherings and meetings.
- Limit guest access to only essential guests (caretakers, vital family members, etc.)
- Encourage all residents to practice self-quarantine and maintain social distancing
- Place hand sanitizing station in high traffic areas
- Increase cleaning procedures in all common areas
- Update all emergency contact info for all residents
- Let your residents know the procedure to follow if they are feeling any symptoms of illness. They can call the Florida Department of Health’s 24-hour hotline at 1-866-779-6121
- Contact your attorney if you are unsure about any of your quarantine protocols. It is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to flattening the curve, but we must also be safe when it comes to the law.
It’s only natural to feel at a loss during these times. We hope that this blog helped you understand some policies and procedures to put into place for your community’s safety. Your health and safety are our top concerns! We are here for you.
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