Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources

Published Wednesday, May 27, 2020

STATE & FEDERAL LAW CHANGES   INFORMATION   NEWS   BUSINESS STRATEGIES   REOPENING STRATEGIES

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE   LOCAL Recovery LoaNS   BUSINESS SUPPORT   CHAMBER UPDATES

Like you, we are continuing to monitor the developments about Coronavirus (COVID-19). The highest priority of any business is to protect the health and safety of employees and customers. As the region’s advocate for business and the community, it is our goal to keep you informed by providing resources to help keep your employees safe and healthy. We encourage everyone to understand the facts about COVID-19 to make informed decisions.

The need for us to collectively work together to remain strong and supportive of one another continues. It is encouraging to see the Fox Cities moving forward. While we may not be back to our normal just yet, our next chapter is on the horizon. We will rebuild together. We are #strongertogether. We are #FoxCitiesStrong

Thank you to We Energies, Bergstrom Automotive, Thrivent, Kimberly-Clark and Community First Credit Union for supporting this initiative and to Goodwill NCW, Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, Appleton International Airport, Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Central Wisconsin, Fox Valley Technical College and United Way Fox Cities for participating in this shared mission as we climb out of these difficult times.

Chamber Office Update

After two months exclusively working remotely, our office has reopened. Limited capacity will be allowed in our facility and precautions are in place for the health of our employees and visitors. Many of our employees will continue to work remotely with some being available in the office each day. We are continuing to follow guidelines recommended by the CDC and Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). As time allows, we truly look forward to seeing you all in person soon.

What do you need to know?

  • We ask that visitors enter through our main entrance.
  • We will be limiting the number of guests in our building to five people at a time.
  • All in-person meetings will be conducted virtually or by phone.
  • Our Chamber team will continue to work remotely and serve you, our members, in the best way possible.
  • Please reach out to the Chamber team via phone or email. General inquiries can be sent to info@foxcitieschamber.com or by calling (920) 734-7101.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

TAKE THE PLEDGE:

The Fox Cities Chamber is proud to be a Be Safe Wisconsin partner. Led by ThedaCare, Be Safe Wisconsin is a broad and ongoing group of like-minded organizations and individuals dedicated to amplifying the importance of a sustained commitment to safe behaviors in the evolving fight against COVID-19.

Be Safe Wisconsin will serve as a voice of unity and as a valuable resource to area residents as we all seek to navigate this ongoing journey together.

Right now, Be Safe Wisconsin asks residents to:

  • Continue adhering to Governor Evers’ Safer at Home Order as long as it is in place.
  • Once the Safer at Home Order is lifted at the appropriate time, continue staying home as much as possible and practicing good hygiene, including hand washing and sanitizing.
  • Avoid touching your face.
  • Disinfect frequently used items and surfaces, including mobile devices.
  • Remain at least 6 feet apart from others and wear a mask or face covering if you must absolutely go out.
  • Take the Be Safe pledge on BeSafeWisconsin.org, sign up for updates, access local resources and share helpful information.

Learn more at BeSafeWisconsin.org

PRACTICE HEALTHY HABITS:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

COVID-19 Symptoms & Testing Guidelines from CDC

We also encourage you to communicate with your employees and customers about actions you are taking to be proactive during this time.

HANG POSTERS ENCOURAGING:

  • Cough-and-sneeze-etiquette. Poster
  • Keep Calm and Wash Your Hands Poster

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CLEANING, SANITIZING AND DISINFECTING:

  • CLEANING removes dirt and most germs. Use soap and water. A third party certified green cleaner is preferred. In conference or meeting rooms, cleaning is the focus.
  • SANITIZING reduces germs to safe levels, for example in food service environments. Food code regulations have specific requirements for sanitizers in the cafeteria and kitchen.
  • DISINFECTING kills most germs, depending on the type of chemical, and only when used as directed on the label.

LOOK UP RESOURCES SPECIFIC TO YOUR INDUSTRY:

Consult websites for your industry associations. The CDC has information for:

INFORMATION:

Be informed through credible sources.

The Chamber is doing its best to help our Members navigate through the uncharted waters of the coronavirus crisis. First and foremost, we care about the health and well-being of all of you, and hope that you are taking care of yourselves and your loved ones, and following the most important guideline of social distancing to mitigate the spread of the illness. We are working daily to find the best ways to help as well as keep ourselves informed.

On the following pages, we have compiled selected websites and organizations where you can find more information on COVID-19 and additional resources to help your organization.

COVID-19 INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES   REOPENING GUIDELINES

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:

5-18-2020  - Under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) created by the CARES Act, loans may be forgiven if borrowers use the proceeds to maintain their payrolls and pay other specified expenses.  View the U.S. Chamber's Guide to PPP Loan Forgiveness which helps borrowers understand the process by which their loan forgiveness amount will be calculated and the overall approach of the loan forgiveness process. 

 

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE RESOURCES 

Calumet County Loan   OUTAGAMIE COUNTY LOAN   WINNEBAGO COUNTY LOAN   

NEWS:

LOCAL, STATE & FEDERAL LAW CHANGES:

5-15-2020 - Effective today, local municipalities rescind their May 14 Safer-at-Home orders. Read more here

5-13-2020 - The state Supreme Court has overturned Wisconsin’s Safer-at-Home order on May 13, 2020. In the 4-3 decision, the court found that Governor Evers Administration exceeded its authority when Secretary-Designee Andrea Palm issued the Safer-at-Home order. This applies to all except for public and private K-12 schools. You can read the Court’s decision here.

Several local public health agencies have issued their own orders extending Safer-at-Home to May 20, 2020. We will update this site with the local orders as we receive them.

5-11-2020 - Emergency Order #36, effective immediately, adds even more opportunities for Wisconsin businesses to get back to work in a safe and responsible way. It allows all standalone or strip-mall based retail stores to offer in-person shopping for up to five customers at a time while maintaining required social distancing practices. Additionally, the Emergency Order signed today allows drive-in theaters to operate with some restrictions. All businesses must continue to follow all safety precautions and guidelines as outlined in the Safer at Home order. Read the Order Here

4-27-2020 - Emergency Order #34  will allow businesses like dog groomers, small engine repair shops, upholstery businesses, and others to safely open. Today's order also allows outdoor recreational rentals, such as boats, golf carts, kayaks, ATVs, and other similar recreational vehicles. Additionally, automatic or self-service car washes would be able to operate. All of these businesses must operate free of contact with customers by providing payment options online or over the phone, enact proper disinfecting practices, and operations must be able to be performed by one staff member. Read the Order Here

4-20-2020 - Emergency Order #31 Badger Bounce Back Wisconsin shall adopt a phased approach to re-opening its economy and society, with each phase being incrementally less restrictive on businesses and individuals while protecting the public from COVID-19. The Department of Health Services shall announce the transition to each Phase with an order fully articulating the activities that will resume. Read the Order Here

4-16-2020 - Gov. Tony Evers  directed Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-designee Andrea Palm to extend the Safer at Home order from April 24, 2020 to 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 26, 2020, or until a superseding order is issued. The order implements some new measures to ensure safety and support the progress we've made in containing COVID-19, but also allows certain activities to start up again. Read the Order Here

VIEW ALL RECENT LAW CHANGES   ESSENTIAL VS. NON-ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES   

BUSINESS STRATEGIES:

Our employees and their families need to be safe. They also need jobs. How we as a community respond impacts both.

Your employees may not be elderly, have a chronic underlying condition (lung or heart disease or diabetes), or have a compromised immune system. But they may be the caregiver for someone who does.

Having a plan ensures your employees that you are acting in their best interest as well as the company’s.

REVIEW SUGGESTED STRATEGIES HERE

UPCOMING CHAMBER EVENTS:

Our goal is to minimize the impact on our community by looking to our public health experts for guidance relating to COVID-19. 

Out of caution and with the recommendations by the World Health Organization related to Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Fox Cities Chamber is taking action to prevent the spread of Coronavirus and maintain a healthy community. We are postponing all Chamber events until further notice which includes ribbon cuttings. We will continue to reassess the situation and provide updates to events as they become available.

Key event updates to note:

  • BAZAAR AFTER DARK: NEW LONDON (6/6) - We are postponing the first night market event of 2020 - Bazaar After Dark: New London, scheduled for Saturday, June 6, 2020. We are working with our partners to identify a date and time to reschedule the New London event. We will provide updates once they become available.
  • FUTURE 15 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AWARDS (6/18) - We are postponing the 2020 Fox Cities Future 15 Young Professionals Awards, scheduled for Thursday, June 18, 2020. We are working with our partners to identify a date and time to reschedule. Updates will be provided as they become available.
  • APPLETON OCTOBERFEST & LICENSE TO CRUISE (9/25 & 9/26) - The 2020 Octoberfest and License to Cruise events will not be held in the traditional manner due to concerns about large gatherings amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Out of concern for the safety of our attendees, volunteers, vendors and musicians we have determined that the safest course of action is to plan alternate events that eliminate large crowds, but still help local nonprofits. More information about Octoberfest 2020: Reimagined will be released as details are confirmed. Please stay tuned to the License to Cruise and Octoberfest social media channels and octoberfestonline.org for more updates.

We strongly encourage our members to stay informed about COVID-19 by reviewing the links provided above. Thank you for doing your part to ensure the health and safety of our community. Please contact our team at the Chamber with any questions at info@foxcitieschamber.com or (920) 734-7101.

 

Go back | Show other stories | Send this page to a friend
Top