IONA WORK SPACES COVID-19 POLICY
We understand that this worldwide pandemic has not been easy for anyone; that’s why we want to assure you that we take everyone’s health and safety seriously. By closely monitoring governmental guidance and best practices within the co-working industry, including information from organizations like the CDC and WHO, we have created a set of guidelines and procedures to support our Iona members.
These protocols are based on the most current information regarding COVID-19 and are subject to change due to this evolving pandemic. We will continue to monitor all professional guidelines and will notify all members of any changes.
Please note that we view personal responsibility as the first measure of protection. Please be safe and courteous to all Iona members.
Updated Business Operations:
- Iona will remain open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day to Iona members. Business hours will remain Monday to Friday, 9 am-5pm; however, because Mike and Neslly will sometimes alternate being in the office for the next couple of months, there will be times when neither of us are physically present on site or able to immediately respond to issues.
- The main entrance through the alley on Electric Avenue will be closed to the public for the first few weeks of reopening. Please enter the building from the park alleyway.
- We would ask that meetings with guests be kept to a minimum. Since there will be no open doors to the public during regular business hours, we ask that you personally greet and let in your guests, and that your guests abide by our policies, including face mask use and temperature check policies.
- Until regular business operations return, Iona will not be receiving any delivery packages, so please make alternative delivery pick up arrangements. We will, however, distribute any mail (from the mailbox) to the dedicated desk members.
- Signs will be placed around the building to remind the community of these new guidelines and to promote healthy hygiene.
- Until further notice, all public events and gatherings will remain cancelled.
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To minimize the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus and to enhance the safety of our members, we have instituted the following measures in the building:
General Guidelines:
- Avoid handshakes and use verbal greetings.
- Refrain from touching your face.
- Please cough/sneeze into your elbow. If using a tissue, discard it properly and clean/sanitize your hands immediately.
- If you are feeling ill and suspect symptoms of the COVID-19 virus, please stay home and limit contact with any colleagues of the Iona community.
- If you suspect you may be sick with the COVID-19 virus or you had known contact with someone with a positive case, we ask that you notify your healthcare provider and do not plan to come to Iona until you’ve been cleared and are no longer sick.
Safety Measures:
- Cleaning Service. Iona’s regular evening cleaning service will resume Monday through Friday.
- Temperature Check. We are administering a non-touch and non-invasive temperature check system. The device will be mounted on the wall by the back hall entrance or kitchen area. Please ensure you perform a check at the time of your arrival and any time you feel you may be experiencing a fever. If the reading indicates a fever (above 100.4 degrees F, or 38 degrees C), please immediately leave the premises and let us know.
- Hand sanitizer dispensers will be strategically placed throughout the building readily available for your use. Please practice diligent and thorough hand washing and sanitizing throughout the day.
- Disposable Kitchenware. We will temporarily switch to using disposable utensils, plates, and cups instead of shared reusable items in the shared kitchen. In addition, community snacks will no longer be available. Members are encouraged to bring their own utensils and snacks if desired and keep them at their designated areas.
- Disinfectants. The frequency of cleaning and disinfecting will be increased on “high-touch” surfaces including door handles, shared tables, public restrooms, the kitchen counter, light switches, and the shared printer and surrounding area. Members are also asked to wipe down surfaces and handles in the phone booths and conference rooms prior to and after each use.
-Phone room and conference rooms: Only one person at a time will be permitted in the small phone booth rooms, and a maximum of 4 people will be allowed in the large conference room.
-Open Door / Cross-Breeze Policy: One of the advantages to our building is the number of doors. To help generate cross-breezes and promote open air and air circulation, which is helpful for reducing risk, we will leave open during regular business hours the doors in the living room, large conference room, and bathroom hallway, and encourage Pod members to open their Pod doors (and transom windows if they have them) while they are working.
-Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). We have instituted a non-medical face mask policy based on location. All members are required to wear personal face masks according to the below table:
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* Dedicated desk members are required to wear a face mask when others are seated within 6 feet of their work space (i.e. the neighboring desk). For the first few weeks of July 2020, dedicated desk members are scheduled for alternate worktimes based on adjacent desks. All members are encouraged to communicate with each other to arrange their schedules and, when necessary to continue workflow from safe distances, utilize the community lounge space as well as other available (not leased) dedicated desks as who is on the dedicated desk maps, and outdoor spaces.
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COVID-19 Case Notification.
Please notify Iona staff if you are diagnosed with COVID-19 and have used the space in the past 14 days. In the event of a member with a confirmed case of COVID-19, management will immediately notify all members. Iona will close immediately for 72 hours and will undergo a thorough deep clean before reopening.
Mandated Quarantine for 14 days
If you were tested for the COVID-19 virus and you learned that the test result was positive for COVID-19, you must quarantine at home for 14 days, regardless of whether you have symptoms. In addition, after having close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, you must self-quarantine at home for 14 days to watch and wait to see if you develop symptoms of COVID-19. We request a copy of your negative COVID-19 test result, before returning to work at Iona.
The health and safety of our members and our community is a top priority. If you have any questions or concerns about Iona’s new COVID-19 response policy, please notify Mike or Neslly. Thank you for maintaining a safe and healthy Iona community!
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-Mike
