COVID-19 a.k.a. “Coronavirus” is an acute respiratory illness. The outbreak, which began in China, has now spread to other parts of the world including the United States. The virus is highly contagious and spreading rapidly. As a result, the World Health Organization has declared it a global pandemic. At The Shippers Group, our concern is for the health and well-being of our supply chain partners, service providers, associates and loved ones within our communities. 

As a result of this current public health concern, we are taking precautionary steps to prioritize contingency planning and communication. With the safety of our associates and our customers' product a core value of The Shippers Group, we are presently focused on prevention and response. 

Prevention:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Use hand-sanitizer if soap and water are not available. 
• Follow normal protocol for food safety and sanitation.
• If you feel sick, stay home and see a licensed healthcare professional.
• Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects, such as your cell phone.
• Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you suspect you have been exposed to the Coronavirus.

Response:

• Record and track staff absences. If you have been diagnosed with the Coronavirus, inform your Supervisor immediately.
• Consider working from home if possible, and avoid unnecessary travel to countries and areas with widespread outbreak.
• Increase communication with all stakeholders regarding any level of business disruption.
• Ensure continuity plans and measures aimed at protecting associates and customers’ products. 
• Adapt business hours and processes as necessary to meet customers’ needs.
• Ensure security, systems monitoring and cyber protections for networks and remote access systems. 

Thank you for your support to ensure the safety and well-being of our stakeholders. We appreciate your actions to help us successfully continue our role in customers’ supply chains delivering products to consumers. If you have any questions about The Shippers Groups’ response to the Coronavirus, please follow the links in this email or contact Diane Villafana, VP of Human Resources-Safety Compliance at diane.villafana@shipperswarehouse.com. 

For more information about COVID-19 please visit the CDC's Coronavirus page.