The FEMA National Business Emergency Operations Center (NBEOC) was recently activated as part of the Interagency Crisis Action Task Force, supporting the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Lead Federal Agency for the United States’ response to COVID-19.
The Crisis Action Task Force and NBEOC are operating daily to provide support for the prevention of COVID-19. The Cross Sector Business & Infrastructure is also activated at the national level with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) coordinating.
Additional support includes a NBEOC Operations Dashboard is active and being used to post incident updates. An initial ESF 14 Business and Industry Cross Sector Coordination Call is planned for March 5th, as well as recurring meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The CDC also released Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to COVID-19. The guidance includes recommended strategies for employers to use now, planning considerations, and recommendations for an outbreak response plan. The CDC also released guidance for businesses with international travel including Interim Guidance for Ships and Guidance for Airlines and Airline Crews. These documents aim to help prevent, detect, and medically manage suspected COVID-19 infections on vessels originating from or stopping in the US. On February 26, the WHO released guidance for Getting your Workplace Ready for COVID-19.The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is amplifying the small business international travel resource for employees that require international work travel.
