Dear SAHCC Family,

We have been closely monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak over the last 48 hours. For the safety and well-being of our community, this year’s Chamber Gala, Saturday, March 21^st has been cancelled. All other Chamber related activity including member events, committee meetings, and leadership programs will be under review on a case-by-case basis. The chamber will share more information as it becomes available. 
 
We are taking the necessary precautions advanced by the City of San Antonio to limit large gatherings to contain the spread of COVID-19. The health and safety of our community is of the utmost importance and our top priority.
 
This is a difficult and trying time for our small business community who will be highly impacted over the coming weeks. We have gathered resources and information to assist you during this challenging time. We have updated our small business web-page with the resources below and will continue to add additional resources as they become available.

City of San Antonio Business Guidance Letter
Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers
Small Business Emergency Preparedness Guide
Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to COVID-19
 
Below are recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
 
Preventative Measures
The best way to prevent infection is to take precautions to avoid exposure to COVID-19.

Social Distancing
It is recommended to practice “social distancing” in which people maintain safe distances from each other and avoid direct contact with high touch items in the community. This will slow the spread of respiratory infections and protect our community members who are at higher risk including elderly and those with underlying health conditions who are the most seriously affected.
 
Here are six ways to practice social distancing:
 1. Avoid crowds, especially in poorly ventilated spaces. Risk of exposure to respiratory viruses like COVID-19 may increase in crowded, closed-in settings with little air circulation if there are people in the crowd who are sick.
 2. Clean and disinfect your home regularly, including routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces.
 3. Keep a six-foot distance from others in public settings.
 4. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
 5. Avoid touching high-touch surfaces in public places like elevator buttons, door handles, handrails, handshaking, etc. Use a tissue or your sleeve to cover your hand if you must touch something.
 6. Wash your hands after touching surfaces in public places and avoid touching your face, nose, eyes, etc.
 
As always, we thank you for your continued support. Please contact Alex Ramos at (210) 425-4929 or email alexr@sahcc.org  if you have any questions.
 
Best,