Vaccination Updates
The coronavirus pandemic continues to impact our nation, vaccination distribution, eligibility, and employer responsibility has weighed heavily on the minds of businesses leaders. We are passionate about #KeepingSTLWorking, so we are sharing the latest on vaccinations.
As of today, about 76.9 million doses have been administered throughout the country, with 1,287,676 administered doses in Missouri and 3,183,805 administered doses in Illinois.
Missouri is currently vaccinating Phase 1A, Phase 1B – Tier 1, and Phase 1B – Tier 2, while Phase 1B – Tier 3 will be activated on March 15th. You can follow along with Missouri’s vaccination progress and find eligible criteria included in each tier here.
Illinois is currently vaccinating Phase 1B and you can follow along with the state’s progress, and gain a better understanding of phased vaccine administration here.
We understand each of our members must follow your own strategies for vaccinations. Speaking on behalf of the Safety Committee, we encourage following all Safety protocols at all times and doing your part in keeping us all working.
If your employer would like to learn more about nationwide efforts announced by the U.S. Chamber’s Rally for Recovery Commitment, sign-up here to receive additional resources, and guidance related to the coronavirus vaccine. We will continue to pass along information as it becomes available.
The Coronavirus and Economic Crises
The coronavirus and economic crises have created an urgent, unprecedented challenge for CEOs and corporate leaders to put purpose-driven leadership and stakeholder capitalism into practice. Companies face extraordinary operational and financial challenges, and with every industry and business tested in unique ways, the course of action may be different for each. Many employees are working from home and working around family demands.
There is no doubt this is a troubling time for all of us. Construction is a lagging indicator in that it is not usually the first hit. It’s other industries, services and products and demand for these that are leading indicators of our economy. Designers were the first hit as projects were halted and postponed or cancelled. Layoffs and staff reductions occurred quickly. Contractors, laborers, field teams from both the owners and associates had to quickly put in place safety measures to continue their work.
Our owners are proud of the work by the local contractors in continuing their work and timelines as best as possible. Owners are also optimistic there will be a pipeline of work. This pandemic did jolt our industry and the world, however, it didn’t reduce the needs and demands. In some ways it has increased it.
The SLCCC is here and we are still the forum for bringing together the buyers of construction and the providers together for leading our region for better days. There will be better days. We hope some of links and information will be useful to you in the days ahead. If you have other links or information to share with the SLCCC please send to info@slccc.net. Thank you and know we appreciate you!
OSHA’s Primary Resource
OSHA’s primary resource is the OSHA COVID-19 Official Webpage. This page is being updated routinely and we encourage you to review it frequently. Recent guidance released and housed on this page includes:
- Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19 (Spanish)
- Prevent Worker Exposure to Coronavirus (Spanish)
- Worker Exposure Risk to COVID-19 (Spanish)
- Temporary Guidance on the enforcement of OSHA’s Respiratory Protection standard:
o March 14 Memo: on Healthcare Respiratory Protection Annual Fit-Testing for N95 Filtering Facepieces During the COVID-19 Outbreak
o April 3 Memo: on Respiratory Protection Equipment Certified Under Standards of Other Countries or Jurisdictions During the COVID-19 Pandemic
o April 3 Memo: on Respiratory Protection and the N95 Shortage Due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
- NEW Short video: Higher Risk Jobs Need Extra Protections to Keep Workers Safe
- NEW Poster: Steps All Workplaces Can Take to Reduce the Risk of Exposure to Coronavirus (Spanish)
- Visit OSHA’s Publications webpage for other useful workplace safety information.
The Wage and Hour Division’s (WHD) primary resource is the WHD COVID-19 Official Webpage
- Departmental national dialogue on the implementation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) The ideas and comments gathered from this dialogue will inform compliance assistance guidance, resources, and tools, as well as outreach approaches, that assist employers and employees in understanding their responsibilities and rights under the FFCRA. The dialogue will remain open until the close of business on April 10.
CDC’s primary resource is the CDC COVID-19 Official Web Page. This page is being updated routinely and we encourage you to review it frequently. Recent guidance released and housed on this page includes:
o Decontamination and Reuse of Filtering Facepiece Respirators using Contingency and Crisis Capacity Strategies (Healthcare)
o Strategies for Optimizing of N95 Respirators (Healthcare)
o Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers
o Cleaning and Disinfecting Building Facility
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) primary resource is the WHO COVID-19 Webpage.
Contact Information:
Maryanne Martin, MS, CSP, CHST
Compliance Assistance Specialist
OSHA – St. Louis Area Office
1222 Spruce Street, Room 9.104
St. Louis, MO 63103
Phone (314) 425-4261 ext. 248
Fax (314) 425-4289
www.osha.gov
COVID-19 Links:
An additional $310 billion in loans became available Monday, 4/27
Supporting Yourself and Others During COVID-19 Online Course
A Good Read…Bill Gates discusses scientific advances to be the virus
Resources from St. Louis County’s website
National AGC Working Safe Website
Resources from AGC MO COVID-19 website
Good business information center
How Opportunity Zones can restore the Economy
BUSINESS INTERRUPTION CLAIMS – BROWN SMITH WALLACE
Calculating Loss or Damages for a Potential COVID-19 Business Interruption Claim Article
A variety of Coronavirus information and City updates
A website about looking beyond the Coronavirus
BJC Healthcare
The St. Louis County Department of Health has identified that the Hispanic and Latino communities in the County are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Resources for members of these communities, including a video on how to stay safe and take the test if needed, are available at https://www.stljuntos.org.
St. Louis Children’s Hospital has been hosting back-to-school Facebook Live series. The latest installment is available for viewing on the BJC Keeping You Safe website. BJC Medical Group psychiatrist at Christian Hospital Dr. John Paruch joined pediatric psychologists Drs. Mary Cradock and Brian Richter Wednesday evening to discuss coping with stress, making difficult decisions, and supporting the entire family’s mental health needs during COVID-19.