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NECA Coronavirus Resource Center

Background

Coronavirus

Chinese health authorities identified a new (or novel) coronavirus (officially called COVID‐19) on December 31, 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a “public health emergency of international concern” as the coronavirus outbreak spread beyond China. In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that the first human‐to‐human transmission of the coronavirus had occurred on January 30, 2020. On January 31, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a public health emergency and announced restrictions on travel between the U.S. and China. On February 2, 2020, the U.S. Department of State issued its travel advisory telling U.S. citizens not to travel to China. Airlines around the world have canceled flights to and from China.

Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU)

In an effort to provide you with the most up-to-date information, the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU)  developed the COVID-19 Global Case Tracker. Johns Hopkins experts in global public health, infectious disease, and emergency preparedness have been at the forefront of the international response to COVID-19. Their website is a resource to help advance the understanding of the virus, inform the public, and brief policymakers in order to guide a response, improve care, and save lives.

View the map

NECA Resources

This webpage was designed to provide information about the evolving coronavirus outbreak first identified in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. The information we have provided includes links to interim guidance and other resources for preventing exposures to, and infection with, the novel coronavirus.

NECA has collected numerous materials from a wide variety of sources to provide our contractors, chapters, and many partners with the most comprehensive information available. We will continue to monitor the situation and update the information on this page.

Premier Partner PPE Program for NECA Contractors

Safety

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Government Affairs

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Legal

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Sample Policies / Forms

Labor Relations

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General

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CDC/WHO Information

According to the CDC, the potential public health threat posed by COVID‐19 is very high, both globally and to the U.S. But the risk to individuals is dependent on exposure. For the general American public, there is little risk of exposure. Therefore, the immediate health risk from COVID‐19 is still considered low.

Preliminary reports seem to indicate that the severity of the coronavirus COVID‐19 may be lesser than that of other coronaviruses such as SARS. However, instances of the disease are still being analyzed. As is to be expected, the severity is worse for older individuals and those with compromised health. Exposure risk may be elevated for some workers who interact with potentially infected travelers from abroad, including those involved in:

  • Healthcare 
  • Deathcare
  • Laboratories
  • Airline operations 
  • Border protection 
  • Solid waste and wastewater management 
  • Travel to areas, including parts of China, where the virus is spreading

Centers for Disease Control

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World Health Organization

National Safety Council

Federal Government

NECA has been directly involved in the Federal Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic both at the Congressional and Executive branch levels. The following is a breakdown of activities designed to address this crisis.

CONGRESSIONAL ACTION

President Trump and members of the Coronavirus Task Force briefed the public on the extensive efforts underway to continue effectively combatting coronavirus. The Administration is taking aggressive and proactive measures, working closely with state and local partners to protect public health.

Congress Enacts the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act
Phase III of Coronavirus Response Package

Following days of protracted negotiations, Congress passed and President Trump signed a $2 trillion measure to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, the CARES Act. The third supplemental package contains scores of provisions providing relief to large segments of the United States economy decimated by the crisis, including assistance to individual taxpayers.

Congress Enacts Families First Coronavirus Response Act
Phase II of Coronavirus Response Package

After a week of serious negotiations, the Senate passed legislation, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R.6201), also known as Phase II. We are pleased to report that NECA was able to work with Members of Congress to address many of the concerns related to paid sick leave and paid family leave. NECA was able to secure key changes in the legislation to restrict the economic impact of the Coronavirus on many of our contractors.

FEDERAL AGENCIES

On March 3, 2020, President Trump announced the formation of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, which is tasked to lead the Administration’s efforts to monitor, contain, and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, while ensuring that the American people have the most accurate and up-to-date health and travel information. At the direction of the Task Force, federal agencies are instructed to take “appropriate steps to prioritize all resources to slow the transmission of COVID-19, while ensuring mission-critical activities continue.”

NECA developed an overview of COVID-19 response plans that include internal agency operations and how the individual agencies intend to address regulatory and enforcement obligations during the COVID-19 response. The following highlights some of these actions.

Federal Agency COVID-19 Sites

View the full list of Federal Agency sites

U.S. Department of Labor

Federal Reserve Board

OSHA

IRS

CISA

State Department

SBA

EEOC

State Government

NECA has partnered with Stateside Associates to create a chart with state legislative actions, executive agency actions, and gubernatorial actions related to the outbreak of the coronavirus. We will be continuously monitoring the state responses as they develop. Updates are continuously being made to this report.

Click to view the recent version

Survey of Executive Orders Related to COVID-19 and Impact on Construction Activities

Our nation’s governors are working closely with federal and local officials as well as private sector partners to address the threat of the novel coronavirus. As the number of COVID-19 cases increases, governors are taking action to limit the spread of this disease. This new resource for NECA Chapters and Contractors outlines actions taken by governors and state and territorial leaders to date.

Business closures, designations of “essential” businesses, and restrictions on movement (e.g., stay at home/shelter in place orders, curfews, etc.) are measures that can be taken at the state or local level to protect individuals from public health threats while ensuring continuity of essential functions and critical workforces. Governors possess significant powers and authority relating to the implementation of business closures, designations of businesses, and personal movement restrictions during emergency periods.

Holland & Knight have created a state-by-state summary of the major executive orders, mandates and proclamations. This information is updated daily so be sure to check back frequently.

NECA Premier Partner Information

View the Premier Partner Resources

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