DAVENPORT, IOWA (April 30, 2020) — On April 29, The Quad Cities Chamber unveiled a new toolkit that provides best practices and suggested considerations to help businesses prepare to reopen safely when Iowa and Illinois health officials give them the green light.
“As we advocate to state officials for a pathway to safely ease restrictions, we want you to be prepared,” Chamber President and CEO Paul Rumler wrote in a letter to businesses. “This new toolkit will help you navigate the new normal and ensure the safety of our region, providing guidance to safely serve your customers and accommodate your employees.”
The 51-page downloadable PDF, “Reopening your business in the age of COVID-19 toolkit,” is available on the Chamber’s website at quadcitieschamber.com/reopentoolkit. The kit is sponsored by Chamber member Shive-Hattery Inc.
The toolkit features general guidance for all industries, including tips on communicating with employees, cleaning and disinfecting workspaces and personal protective equipment (PPE) tutorials, as well as industry-specific considerations. Information was sourced and compiled from a variety of state and national health and industry resources.
Specific guidance is included for each of the following industries:
- Agriculture
- Animal services
- Childcare facilities
- Close-contact services
- Construction
- Entertainment venues
- Exercise facilities
- Financial services
- Food processing
- Food service
- Hotels
- Logistics/transportation
- Manufacturing
- Medical services
- Offices/professional services
- Pharmacies
- Real estate
- Retail
The Quad Cities Chamber team has pivoted its priorities to help businesses know about the new state and federal policies, financial-assistance options, and valuable resources available to adjust operations. In addition to educational webinars and the toolkit, The Quad Cities Chamber has been providing daily COVID-19 updates to its members via its blog and interactive resource guide on its website, quadcitieschamber.com.
“This is the type of work the Chamber strives to do all the time, however during times of crisis, businesses should know the Quad Cities Chamber team is ready and available as their go-to resource for help,” Rumler said. “We know the health and economic impacts related to COVID-19 will be significant, and businesses throughout the region will need continued assistance to sustain themselves. The Chamber is their voice to communicate the needs of Quad Cities’ businesses.”
