The pandemic is not over.
Despite increasing vaccination levels and decreasing numbers of new cases and hospitalizations in many parts of the country, the 16-month-old COVID-19 pandemic continues to present deadly challenges for facilities managers and others responsible for ensuring healthy and safe workplaces as many people return to the office.
A COVID-19 outbreak that killed two IT staffers in Manatee County, Fla., government and hospitalized three others has forced the shutdown of the county’s administrative building, according to the Bradenton Herald. On June 18, the county announced that it was immediately shutting down the building to the public and sending employees home.
On June 14, one of four IT staffers who had been hospitalized with COVID-19 died. A fifth IT staffer who went to the doctor died at home on June 17 from COVID-19.
All five who contracted the virus were known not to be vaccinated and had a sore throat as their initial primary complaint.
The building was scheduled to reopen on June 18, and COVID-19 safety measures, including a mask requirement, will be in place again.
Dan Hounsell is Senior Editor, Facility Market.
