March 5, 2020
Dear Genesis Community:
We would like to take this opportunity to reach out with regard to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19, also known as SARS-CoV-2). The Genesis Board, STC and TBE, in conjunction with Blue Ocean Faith and Ann Arbor Children’s House, are taking proactive measures regarding the COVID-19 outbreak.
We want to remind our congregants, staff and students that the best ways to prevent the spread of Coronavirus are the same as preventing the cold and flu, and include:
- Frequently washing your hands with soap and hot water.
- Covering your mouth (with elbow or tissue) when you sneeze or cough.
- Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
- Staying home when you are sick.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend the use of facemasks for the general public.
The safety, health, and well-being of our congregants, staff and students will, as always, continue to be our priority. We will continue monitoring the developments related to COVID-19 and plan accordingly to follow recommendations of local, state, and federal health and government officials and communicate these as appropriate.
- The Genesis Building Attendants are performing daily cleaning of frequently touched surfaces (e.g., doorknobs, light switches, countertops) with disinfectant.
- Genesis will continue to provide (depending on availability) disposable wipes in most areas of the building, so that commonly used surfaces (e.g., keyboards, tables, remote controls) can be wiped down by congregants, students and staff before each use. Hand sanitizer is also available in most areas of the building and we recommend that it be used.
We have attached a fact sheet from the Washtenaw County Health Department with additional information. If you would like to learn more about Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), please visit www.michigan.gov/coronavirus or www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.
As of today, there have been no known cases in Michigan of Corona virus related illness. If Coronavirus does become a concern in our community, please remember that you should immediately notify your congregational or school office if you or people you have been in contact with have contracted COVID-19. This information will help us all plan more effectively so that other members of our community can be advised.
We will continue to keep you informed about what we are doing in regard to COVID-19, and any changes to our procedures if they are recommended by the CDC or other health professionals.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Genesis Coronavirus (Ad-Hoc) Committee
Murray Rosenthal, PhD – scibridge0@gmail.com
Mark Davis-Craig – mad@umich.edu
Mary Lu Barth – barthrm@comcast.net
Toby Lewis, MD – tobyl@med.umich.edu