National Emergency: Coronavirus Disease Demands Crisis Management Principles

America, and the international community is in uncharted waters, and with absolute certainty, it is only the beginning of very challenging days ahead.

As the principles of crisis management affirm, it is always best to expect the unexpected, and to take an abundance of caution. Otherwise, the consequences of egregious negligence with critical issues of public safety at stake will be devastating.

We must prepare for the worst and work with full force dedication toward an expeditious conclusion of this pandemic.

The current national emergency, and all issues relative to crisis management is very personal for me.

For the past 21 years, it has been my privilege to address audiences throughout the United States on numerous issues critical to the nation including ethical leadership, violence prevention, security management, public safety, police-community partnerships, and crisis management.

These issues have been addressed not only in presentations, but in an extensive collection of 275 published works including my two newest books, Listen To Their Cries and Reawakening America.

Practical Information on Crisis Management

At many of my presentations copies of my published works were distributed to all attendees, as well as a timeless work on crisis management titled Practical Information on Crisis Management: A Guide for Safe Schools and Communities.

The principles of this guide by the U.S. Department of Education, first published in May 2003, and revised in January 2007, remain indispensable for a crisis, and are as follows:

• Mitigation and Prevention
• Preparedness
• Response
• Recovery

Related Coverage: Vincent J. Bove Crisis Management Presentations - 1. New York Stock Exchange 2. Institute of Real Estate Management 3. Museums/Cultural Properties 4. Fire Directors/Penn Plaza 5. Hospitals 6. Southern NJ Prosecutors Safe Schools Conference.

As the world responds to the Coronavirus, there will be many approaches related to the aforementioned crisis management principles.

But, as we stand today, as memorialized by the following headlines, we are indeed in a national emergency:

*Government Declares National Emergency as Worldwide Deaths Top 5,000
*U.S. Extends Travel Ban to Britain and Ireland
*America's President Gets Tested for Coronavirus
*'We have not reached our peak' on Coronavirus Spread, CDC says
*NY Archdiocese Shuts Down Sunday Services in all of its 296 parishes
*Museums Close, Broadway Goes Dark
*Sports Are Canceled: NHL, MLS, MLB, NCAA, Join NBA in Suspending Play
*For millions of Americans, no church on Sunday is Coronavirus's cruelest closure so far
*We Are New York Teachers: Close the Schools
*Here's Why We Closed Los Angeles Schools

The reality is, the pandemic, as recently defined by the World Health Organization, will intensify before things get better.

There are complex responses that will, and must be made as a response to the virus. For now, the purpose of this article is only a beginning, to focus on the issue of mitigation and prevention by crystallizing a very simple but effective prevention section from the CDC website titled

Steps to Prevent Illness:

Take steps to protect yourself

Clean your hands often

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.

Take steps to protect others

Stay home if you’re sick

• Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care. Learn what to do if you are sick.

Cover coughs and sneezes

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
• Throw used tissues in the trash.
• Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Wear a facemask if you are sick

• If you are sick: You should wear a facemask when you are around other people (e.g., sharing a room or vehicle) and before you enter a healthcare provider’s office. If you are not able to wear a facemask (for example, because it causes trouble breathing), then you should do your best to cover your coughs and sneezes, and people who are caring for you should wear a facemask if they enter your room. Learn what to do if you are sick.
• If you are NOT sick: You do not need to wear a facemask unless you are caring for someone who is sick (and they are not able to wear a facemask). Facemasks may be in short supply and they should be saved for caregivers.

Note Well: The wearing of masks needs additional study, research, and leadership. Yet, in my opinion, wearing masks in area's where social distancing is essential is a necessity.

Clean and disinfect

• Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, counter-tops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
• If surfaces are dirty, clean them: Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.

Final Reflection

Additional details can be reviewed on the CDC website, and all are encouraged to stay continually apprised of rapidly changing issues. We must continually exercise leadership, vigilance, and collaboration with this international public health crisis.

About the Author

Vincent J. Bove, CPP, is a national speaker and author of 275 published works on issues critical to America. Bove is recipient of the FBI Director's Community Leadership Award, and is former confident of the New York Yankees. He served as spokesperson for a coalition of victim’s families of the Virginia Tech tragedy. His most recent books are Reawakening America and Listen To Their Cries.

For more information: vincentbove.com or twitter @vincentjbove