COVID-19 Letter to Public Housing Residents

COVID-19 Letter to Public Housing Residents 

Columbia Housing's Measures to Fight the Spread of COVID-19

March 17, 2020

Dear Columbia Housing's Residents:

Columbia Housing (CH) is committed to doing everything we can to ensure the health and well-being of our residents. We want to keep you informed about Columbia Housing's response to the presence in the Midlands region of the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19. We are taking extra measures, including frequent sanitation of common areas in Columbia Housing's buildings and asking residents to call or email rather than visit our offices in person. The following actions are designed to help keep our tenants, staff, partners and communities safe.

Staying home if ill

• Columbia Housing has instructed all staff who are ill, or have an ill family member, not to come to work until they have been symptom-free for at least three days.

Social distancing

• Columbia Housing is reducing person-to-person contact by asking staff whose jobs enable them to perform their work online from home to do so.
• Staggered start times are offered to staff to comply with social distancing recommendations.
• Columbia Housing is postponing non-essential meetings and encouraging staff to conduct meetings as much as possible by telephone or online.
• Columbia Housing is asking residents to conduct business with Columbia Housing by phone, email or the website to reduce opportunities for the virus to spread.

Columbia Housing is ensuring adequate staffing to respond to an increase in residents who contact us by phone, email or the Contact Us Page of our website at https://www.columbiahousingsc.org/. Residents who wish can call or email their property manager, or can call 803-251-2747 if they don't have that contact information.

Columbia Housing and property management staff will continue to visit buildings on a regular basis to ensure building systems are functioning, common areas are sanitized and the property remains safe.

Sanitation

• Columbia Housing has instructed staff on additional personal sanitation practices to ensure they are not transferring viruses to themselves or others.
• Columbia Housing is cleaning common areas of buildings at least daily, sanitizing door handles, railings, bathrooms, elevator buttons and other frequently touched surfaces.

Columbia Housing is currently operating on normal hours with restricted access to administration buildings and community rooms. Meetings, classes, workshops and other activities at Columbia Housing locations have be canceled or postponed. Please continue to visit our website at https://www.columbiahousingsc.org/covid-19-response to receive updated information.

The spread of COVID-19 is a public health issue. To stay informed or ask questions, you should contact:

Public Health - SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC)

For general questions about COVID-19, the DHEC Care Line is available to assist you. Call 1-855-472-3432. DHEC staff are answering calls 8 a.m.-6 p.m. every day.

Telehealth Virtual Care Providers (COVID-19)

Several South Carolina health systems are offering telehealth options to the public. These options are available to anyone experiencing COVID-19 symptoms in South Carolina. In order to access the free consult, Use the promo code COVID19.

• MUSC Health Virtual Urgent Care           https://campaigns.muschealth.org/virtual-care/index.htmll

• McLeod Telehealth                                 https://www.mcleodhealth.org/services/care/telehealth/

• Prisma Health Virtual Visit                      https://www.prismahealth.org/virtual-visit/

• Roper St. Francis Healthcare Virtual Care      https://www.rsfh.com/virtualcare

• Self  Regional Healthcare                       https://www.selfregional.org/coronavirus-information/

We know the COVID-19 virus is causing great concern and want you to know that we share that concern. Columbia Housing is taking the situation very seriously and is closely monitoring developments. We will adjust our operations further as needed and will keep you informed of any additional changes we may make to protect our residents.

Sincerely,

Ivory N. Mathews

Interim Executive Director

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Please visit our website at ColumbiaHousingsc.org for more information about Columbia Housing!