The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association has been communicating directly with manufacturers across Illinois as the situation changes and will continue posting resources online at the IMA’s dedicated page
www.ima-net.org/covid-19/
.
Daily COVID-19 Results
Governor JB Pritzker held his daily press conference and announced:
- There are 899 new cases of coronavirus in Illinois.
- There are a total of 274 deaths related to coronavirus in Illinois, including 31 additional deaths announced today.
- A total of 11,256 cases have been confirmed in at least 68 of the 102 counties.
- There have been 58,983 individuals tested in Illinois.
Press Conference Key Updates
New or critical items of note that were discussed today by the Governor and local leaders:
- The Governor focused his comments on the children of essential workers, announcing that beginning April 1, all essential workers now qualify for the state’s Child Care Assistance Program. The state will cover most of the cost of care provided by emergency child care centers and homes. Full details and applications for assistance are available on the Department of Human Services (IDHS) website DHS.illinois.gov/helpishere and coronavirus.illinois.gov.
- The Governor also noted that since implementing emergency child care center permits, 550 childcare centers and over 1,000 at-home care centers are up and running under the emergency permit. Care Facilities and Providers should complete the DHS Emergency Childcare License form to provide care for children of essential workers. Forms can be found at coronavirus.illinois.gov.
- For emergency child care centers and homes, the Governor also announced that the state will be paying enhanced reimbursement rates effective April 1. The enhanced reimbursement rate is 30 percent above the usual pay rate. The change seeks to reflect the additional costs of providing care in smaller groups. Information is available on the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development (GOECD) website www2.illinois.gov/sites/OECD.
Employer Resources & Programs
The IMA published
a guide
last week on the topics of Federal and State Grants, Unemployment Insurance, and Leave.
On Tuesday, April 7, from 9:00am to 11:30am CST, the IMA is partnering IMA member Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. for a webinar to discuss the new Department of Labor regulations regarding the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and other best practices employers need to know now as they try to navigate through these challenging times. To register for this webinar,
please click here
.
Question & Answer Section
As the number of coronavirus cases continue to rise in Illinois, employers are working diligently to protect their employees and have begun asking more questions on how to properly clean and sanitize facilities. The following questions and answers are from the IMA's Q&A found at
www.ima-net.org/covid-19
:
Q: If an employee were to be diagnosed with COVID-19, what is your guidance for handling the specific workplace the employee works in? Including any quarantine timeframe and cleaning of the area(s) the employee came in contact with.
A. Employers are urged to follow guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control. Health experts indicate that the virus may remain airborne for up to 3 hours. It cannot be transmitted on food or packaging products but may remain on hard surfaces for a day. Cleaning companies are recommending thorough cleanings. Health experts have indicated that the COVID-19 virus remains in the human body longer because it embeds deep in the lungs and may exist for weeks after a person recovers.
Q: Should a manufacturer quarantine any incoming shipments of packaging, cardboard or raw materials before utilizing within our process?
A. Health experts have indicated that food and packaging cannot hold or transmit the virus but it can survive on hard surfaces for a period of time.
Q: Did Illinois set a standard for cleaning and sanitizing a workplace if a worker guest at a facility is determined to be COVID-19 positive? Has IL set a standard or issued recommendations for workplace cleanliness? Has IL issued a directive for companies if an employee is determined to be positive? Does everyone at the facility have to be seen home under IL rules or can the company make a decision based on the area where the employee performs their work and the common areas that the employees comes into contact with?
A. Illinois has not set standards for cleaning and sanitizing the workplace or cleanliness as a result of the virus. Nor is there is a specific standard or rule in the event an employee is positive or may have been exposed. Employers should follow guidelines set by the CDC and public health professionals. To learn more about the CDC's guidlines, please visit the
CDC website for businesses and employers
.
