At this time of year, our news feeds should be full of March Madness, NBA playoffs, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, and spring festivals. Instead, one topic dominates: coronavirus, or COVID-19. Self-isolating. Remote working. Social distancing…. Uncertainty. Home Artisans of Indiana believes that we build better businesses together; we have seen it in action! At a time when we are all facing pressure, stress, fear, frustration, and unsettling change, this is truer than ever.
Even as we take steps to protect ourselves, our families, our employees, and our customers from potential coronavirus exposure, we should not isolate or withdraw ourselves from others in our design and construction community. There is much we can do to support each other- from a safe and healthy distance!
COVID-19 (a strain of the coronavirus) is a “novel” virus. That is, it has not been seen in humans before. Because of this, and the relatively fast pace at which it has spread, there has been a great deal of fear and uncertainty. We understand, and we know that one way to help each other is to share reliable information.
Here’s what we know: the vast majority (81%) of those who have been infected have experienced mild symptoms. Five percent experienced critical symptoms, and 14% were classified as severe. There is a very high recovery rate, and a very low fatality rate. It is more dangerous for people who have existing health conditions (e.g. weakened immune systems) and the elderly. But keep in mind that most of the people who have contracted COVID-19 worldwide have already recovered.
There is no sugarcoating it: this is a concerning situation. But the fact is that the same precautions we take every cold and flu season are proving effective here: washing your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds and/or using hand sanitizer, sanitizing frequently touched surfaces (e.g. phones, computers, doorknobs), staying home if you feel sick or experience fever, a dry cough, or shortness of breath, and staying clear of your more vulnerable friends, relatives, and community members for a while. Officials are now urging self-isolation and social distancing.
There are travel restrictions in place, and many businesses and schools are closed or operating under circumstances that are, to say the least, unusual. We are seeing unprecedented steps in an attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19.
That said, many contractors and design professionals say they are trying to take a “business as usual” approach with added health and safety measures in place. They’re watching the news, like we all are, but they are on the job.
When employees come in for work, remind them of best practices in terms of hygiene and provide sanitizers (especially for people in the field). Other steps you can take:
There are also industry-specific tools to consider:
Now, you can’t hang drywall, wire a house, or install an HVAC system from home – at least not your home! Your tradespeople will still be out in the field. Let’s help each other out:
There may also be delays as subs and tradespeople isolate or take care of family members (e.g. children who are not in school). Be patient with each other.
Will we take a hit? There’s no way around it: COVID-19 will impact the design and construction industry. Look into resources that can help, such as the US Small Business Administration. The SBA has information and links to connect you with local resources, SBA loan resources, and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program. SBA is providing low-interest disaster assistance loans for up to $2 million for small businesses that have been affected by COVID-19.
Also be aware that the situation is evolving rapidly, and there is more news every day. For example, the House just passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. If passed by the Senate, this will change FMLA obligations and will include tax breaks to help small businesses cover the costs. Stay up to date with news from reputable sources (i.e. not conspiracy theorists on Facebook which only add fuel to the fire!).
We’ve been through tough times before, folks. And we came out stronger. We have no doubt that the design and construction industry will do it again. We build better businesses together, and we weather uncertainty and storms the same way.