As you know, events surrounding the coronavirus are evolving rapidly. Solid Ground continues to closely monitor the changing situation, both globally and locally. With safety of our program participants, staff, volunteers, and community foremost in our minds, we are taking guidance from the King County Public Health Department and other experts to develop our response.

Here are a few actions we recommend for our employees, the people we serve, and the broader community:

Follow the commonsense preparedness steps outlined in the Seattle & King County Public Health’s Novel Coronavirus flyer, which is also a great resource on symptoms. For people who cannot self-isolate when they are feeling ill, Public Health recommends that they stay six feet from other people and wear a mask to prevent droplet transmission to others.

Make sure your family is prepared for all situations by assuring that you have adequate food, water, and medicines located at your home. The American Red Cross provides a helpful Survival Kit Supplies checklist.

Solid Ground is also implementing a comprehensive response plan grounded in guidance from Seattle & King County Public Health, Healthcare for the Homeless. Our goals are to:

• Reduce the spread of disease among staff
• Protect people at higher risk for complications
• Maintain business operations
• Minimize impact on people we serve and business partners

Steps to achieve these goals include:

• More rigorous and periodic cleaning of spaces that have high public traffic
• Encouraging employees and volunteers to stay home when sick
• Communicating with the people we serve that are at the most risk
• Providing supplies when necessary to those who need them

We are monitoring guidance from Public Health and will be adapting our response as it comes out. Look to our Solid Ground Coronavirus Response webpage for updates related to public events, facilities, and other Solid Ground-specific concerns. Individuals should check the King County website frequently.

We recognize that negative racial stereotypes are leading to discrimination in reaction to this illness. It is important that we address the coronavirus as we would any other contagious illness, with guidance grounded in facts and precautions we can take every day. King County has more information about how to prevent, interrupt, or respond to stigma.