Company

The health, safety and welfare of each member of our team as well as their family members is a high priority for us. We, therefore, are closely monitoring the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”). It is an evolving and dynamic situation, so our response to it may change.

However, we wanted to provide you with background information about the virus causing COVID-19 to improve your understanding of the disease and provide some directions on how to respond to it. The risks of the virus causing COVID-19 should be taken very seriously. The Company will monitor developments vigilantly, but at the same time, we should guard against overreaction, as some stories may tend to sensationalize the issue. Because the situation is fluid, we will update you when information changes as we are able to do so. The Company’s response to the outbreak of COVID-19 (the “Response”) dated [05-01-2020] is set forth below. The Company reserves the right to revise, supplement, rescind, or deviate from any policies or portion of the Response from time to time as it deems appropriate, in its sole and absolute discretion, and with or without advance written notice.

Overview

Toward the end of December 2019, authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, announced a cluster of cases of pneumonia associated with a local seafood wholesale market, for which a cause had not yet been identified. On January 8th, a new coronavirus called 2019-novel coronavirus (called “2019-nCoV”) was identified as the cause of the illness.

WHO

While the Company is following and reviewing a variety of resources in this situation, it is most closely reviewing information being provided by the World Health Organization (“WHO”).

The WHO has declared the outbreak of 2019-nCoV a global emergency.

 What is Known About the Transmission of COVID-19

Authorities have confirmed that the virus spreads through two routes:

• Environment-to-human: Information suggests that the virus causing COVID-19 is “zoonotic” transmitted from an animal source to humans. The initial cluster of cases appeared to have a common source of exposure, a local live seafood and animal market.
• Person-to-person spread: From a sick person to others who are in close contact (within about six feet). The virus is actively in the human-to-human transmission phase. The spread has largely been limited to family clusters and healthcare workers but several new cases indicate a generalized human-to-human spread.

In general, scientists believe the virus causing COVID-19 spreads from one person to another in the same way as other respiratory infections, including colds and the flu – through infected respiratory droplets. The sick person expels these when they cough, sneeze, or talk and possibly in his or her fecal matter and blood as well. Others can get the disease via contact (direct or indirect) with these contaminated droplets.

It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, and possibly their eyes.

The virus that causes COVID-19 seems to be spreading easily and sustainably in the community (“Community Spread”) in some affected geographic areas. Community Spread means people have been infected with the virus in an area, including some who are not sure how or where they became infected.

Someone who has completed quarantine or has been released from isolation does not pose a risk of infection to other people.

Know the Symptom of COVID-19

For confirmed COVID-19 infections, reported illnesses have ranged from infected people with little-to-no symptoms to people becoming severely ill and dying. Current information suggests that older adults and persons with underlying health conditions or compromised immune systems might be at greater risk for severe illness from this virus, and they should take more precautions to avoid exposure.

Besides knowing how it can be transmitted, recognizing the symptoms is an important step. Symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus. This can allow the virus to be spread without an individual showing symptoms. People with underlying health conditions appear to be at higher risk for severe disease.

COVID-19 symptoms include:

1. Fever;
2. Cough; and
3. Shortness of breath.

How to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19

There is currently no vaccine to prevent the COVID-19 infection. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to this virus. Everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses include:

• Clean your hands often with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60-95 percent alcohol, or wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Soap and water should be used preferentially if hands are visibly dirty.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• Put your used tissue in a waste basket.
• If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hand.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Routinely clean all frequently touched surfaces in the workplace, such as workstations, countertops, and doorknobs with the cleaning agents that are usually used in these areas, following the directions on the label of the cleaning agent.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. At this time, the WHO does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.

Company Policies Related to COVID-19

• If you become ill at work with acute respiratory illness symptoms (i.e. cough, shortness of breath), notify your supervisor so that you can be separated from other employees and be sent home immediately. If you are able to notify your supervisor by telephone or email, you should do so.
• Employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home and not come to work until they are free of fever (100.4° F [37.8° C] or greater using an oral thermometer), signs of a fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g. cough suppressants). Employees should notify their supervisor and stay home if they are sick. If you believe you have been exposed to the virus causing COVID-19 and you are fever-free without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines for more than 24 hours, the Company may still ask you not to report to work or may ask you to work remotely.
• If you have a confirmed case of COVID-19, please contact your supervisor by phone or email. You will not be allowed to report to work for at least 14 days.
• If you have a confirmed case of COVID-19, the Company will inform fellow employees of their possible exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace
• Any employees exposed to a co-worker or family member with a confirmed case of COVID-19 will be asked to conduct a risk assessment (“Risk Assessment”) to assess their potential exposure pursuant.
  • The Risk Assessment requires employees to assess their risk level and whether they are symptomatic or asymptomatic.
  • Depending on your individual Risk Assessment, you may not be allowed to report to work for at least 14 days. During this 14-day period you may be permitted to telework or work remotely, depending on your position and in the Company’s sole discretion.
  • Depending on your risk exposure, the Company may recommend that you self-observe your symptoms until 14 days after your last potential exposure. The Company may recommend that you check your temperature before arriving at the workplace to ensure that you are still asymptomatic.
• Employees who are well but who have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 should notify their supervisor and refer to WHO guidance for how to conduct a Risk Assessment of their potential exposure.
• If you are asked to telework, and you need equipment or technical support to do so, please contact your supervisor.

Company Policy Related to Sick Leave

For the health and safety of all of your coworkers, it is essential that you do not report to work if you suspect you have COVID-19. If you suspect that you or a family member that resides with you has COVID-19, please seek immediate medical treatment and do not report to work. If you are showing any symptoms of COVID-19, you should not report to work until either (1) a healthcare provider examines you and confirms that you do not have COVID-19, or (2) a healthcare provider diagnoses you with COVID-19 and then clears you to return to work. If you have contracted COVID-19, and you believe you became infected with the disease while working for the Company, including during work-related travel, please immediately alert the Human Resources Department so that you can assess your exposure risk using the Risk Assessment.

Company Safety Policies

Please follow the Company’s safety policy including Company rules related to the use of personal protective equipment, including the use of gloves, eye and face protection, and respiratory protection. If you have any questions about the Company’s safety policies or the use of personal protective equipment, please contact the Human Resources Department.

Acknowledgement of Company’s Current Response to Outbreak of COVID-19

I acknowledge that I have read the Company’s Response to COVID-19 (“Response”) and that I understood it and agree to comply with it. I further acknowledge that I have been reminded of the Company’s Safety Policy and understand that it is my responsibility to be familiar with it and abide by its terms. This Response is not promissory and does not set terms or conditions of employment or create an employment contract.