CDC Rx Awareness
The Rx Awareness campaign tells the real stories of people whose lives were torn apart by prescription opioids. The goal of the campaign is to increase awareness that prescription opioids can be addictive and dangerous. The campaign also strives to decrease the number of individuals who use opioids recreationally or overuse them.
When the Prescription Becomes the Problem
Almost 36 percent of all U.S. opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid. Overdose deaths involving prescription opioids have increase by about 5 times since 1999. From 1999 to 2017, more than 200,000 people died from overdoses related to prescription opioids, with more than 17,000 overdose deaths involving prescription opioids occurring in 2017.
Take Action and Help
Whether you are a healthcare provider, first responder, law enforcement officer, public health official, or community member, the opioid epidemic is likely affecting you and your community. No matter who you are, you can take action to end the opioid overdose epidemic ravaging the United States. We all have a role to play on the frontlines of this fight—it starts with addressing prescription opioid misuse, abuse, and overdose.
- Learn more about prescription opioids so you can help those at risk for opioid use disorder and overdose in your community.
- Help those struggling with addiction find the right care and treatment. Anyone who takes prescription opioids can become addicted and help is available if you or someone you know is battling opioid use disorder.
- Spread the word and increase awareness in your community about the risk and dangers of prescription opioids.
State and local health departments and community organizations can also take part in the Rx Awareness campaign and use the tested campaign materials and resources to launch campaigns, support local prevention activities, and raise awareness about the risks of prescription opioids.
Read the Executive Summary for an overview of the campaign [PDF – 5 MB], and learn how to launch the campaign in your local community.
Covid Guidelines
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Religious Entities and Funeral Homes
West Virginia Strong — The Comeback
Guidance for Religious Entities
and Funeral Homes
Per Governor Jim Justice’s Executive Order 9-20, religious entities, including religious facilities, entities, groups, and religious gatherings, including weddings and funerals including funeral homes, are “essential business operations” and have been allowed to remain open and serve their community. These religious entities and institutions have, at all times, and will continue to be, urged to practice proper physical distancing.
Religious entities and institutions have been asked, wherever possible, to reduce the number of individuals attending in-person services by holding services online or in parking lots. To date, religious entities and institutions have served their communities well and worked to keep the citizens of West Virginia safe.
Under Gov. Justice’s reopening plan, West Virginia Strong — The Comeback, religious entities and institutions are urged to keep up their good work. In order to do so, they should continue to conduct as many activities as possible remotely, including worship services and religious education, and to follow federal guidelines when providing services and activities in person. To the extent that any religious entity or institution cannot conduct services remotely, they are asked to conduct services and activities in accordance with federal, state, and local guidance for best practices. These best practices include the following:
o Instruct sick employees, volunteers, and guests to stay home;
o Practice physical distancing by maintaining appropriate distance (at least 6 feet) between people;
o Maintain good hygiene by washing your hands frequently, using hand sanitizer, using your elbow to cover coughs, and not touching your face;
o Implement environmental cleanliness and sanitation practices; and
o Clean and disinfect work areas frequently.
See the CDC guidelines for preparing your community-based and faith-based organizations for COVID-19 at CDC.gov. Religious entities and facilities should also maintain contact with their respective denominational or faith community leaders for any additional concerns or guidance.
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West Virginia Strong — The Comeback
GUIDANCE FOR RELIGIOUS ENTITIES AND FUNERAL HOMES
West Virginia’s religious entities and institutions play an important role in helping to slow the spread of COVID-19. Churches and places of worship are specifically vulnerable locations for quick and potentially deadly transmission of COVID-19, and therefore are vital in this effort to continue West Virginia’s positive trendlines.
Religious entities and institutions should further consider implementing the following best practices:
o Adding additional service times to facilitate proper distancing.
o Ensuring all attendees sanitize their hands and put on a mask or face covering before entering the building.
o Equipping ushers and greeters with gloves and masks.
o Encouraging all attendees who are 65 and older to stay home and watch the services online or provide a “senior service” exclusively for attendees 65 and older to attend in person.
o Ask all attendees who have an underlying at-risk health condition to stay home and watch the services online.
o Restricting seating to every other pew.
o Ensuring attendees sit with their immediate family unit, use physical distancing between each unit.
o Clergy should dismiss attendees by family unit in order to maintain physical distancing.
o Staff should sanitize seats and frequently used surfaces between services.
o Consider keeping childcare closed, unless the place of worship can comply with CDC guidelines for childcare facilities.
o Consider refraining from passing collection plates and instead provide a central collection box or encourage online giving.
o Consider how the sacraments can be administered without attendees having to touch the same surfaces and objects.
These guidelines are recommendations to give religious entities and institutions the best tools available to keep clergy and the citizens of the State of West Virginia safe.
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Events
Restaurant Guidelines
West Virginia Strong — The Comeback
A Guide to Safely Opening our Restaurants
Through Takeaway Service & Outdoor Dining
Per Governor Jim Justice’s Executive Order 2-20, restaurants have been allowed to remain open, by drive-through or carry out only, to serve their patrons. These establishments have, at all times, and will continue to be, urged to implement and practice proper physical distancing. To date, restaurants across the state have abided by these orders, have served their communities well and worked to keep the citizens of West Virginia safe.
Under Gov. Justice’s reopening plan, West Virginia Strong — The Comeback, restaurants are allowed to open or remain open with the limited services outlined below. To do so, Gov. Justice has issued the following guidance to mitigate the exposure and spread of COVID-19 among food-service workers and patrons. These guidelines, in addition to the guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), will help West Virginians transition back to safe dining outside of their homes. Businesses are allowed and encouraged to implement more stringent protocols as they see fit.
As part of the reopen plan, the West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration (“ABCA”) is developing a streamlined process with no fees for a restaurant to temporarily expand their floor space to include new or expanded outdoor dining space. Additional guidance on this process will be issued by the ABCA.
As your business reviews and implements these new measures, we encourage you to share and discuss them with your employees and your customers. Communicating enhanced cleaning and sanitization practices will make workers and patrons feel more confident in your restaurants.
Please note: The following guidelines are being published in advance of Governor Justice’s Executive Order — currently anticipated to be effective as of the week of May 4, 2020 — that will allow outdoor dining in addition to carry out, drive-through and delivery services. Failure to adhere to these guidelines may result in suspension of a restaurant’s license to operate or its ABCA license, as applicable, and/or other appropriate enforcement measures.
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West Virginia Strong — The Comeback
A GUIDE TO SAFELY OPENING OUR RESTAURANTS THROUGH TAKEAWAY SERVICE & OUTDOOR DINING
Below are guidelines established to help you prepare your business for patrons to continue carryout food service and begin outdoor dining. These guidelines should provide extra safety precautions and give your customers assurance that risks are being mitigated.
SOCIAL DISTANCING
o Distance: Update plans for outdoor dining areas, redesigning seating arrangements to ensure at least six (6) feet of separation from seating to seating. Clear paths must be designated to allow diners to enter and exit the outdoor dining area without breaking the six feet social-distancing barriers.
o Party size: Limit outdoor dining party size at tables to no more than six (6).
o Party type: Enforce social distancing of those not residing together while present on such entity’s leased or owned property.
o ABCA Regulations: To facilitate restaurants offering outdoor dining, in addition to their takeaway and delivery services, the West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration (“ABCA”) is developing a streamlined process with no fees for a restaurant to temporarily expand their floor space to include new or expanded outdoor dining space. Additional guidance on this process will be issued by the ABCA.
o Waiting areas: Do not allow patrons to congregate in waiting areas. Design a process to ensure patron separation while waiting to be seated outside or pick up their take-away order that can include ground markings, distancing, or waiting in cars.
o Dining only: Limit activity to outdoor dining or pickup of food or beverages to be taken away. No live music, and all restaurant playgrounds shall remain closed.
REDUCING CONTACT
o No entry: Patrons are not permitted to enter or exit restaurants except to access restrooms, pick up a take-out order, or to access outdoor seating areas. Mark ingress/egress to and from restrooms to establish paths to restrooms and outdoor dining areas to establish paths that mitigate proximity for patrons and staff.
o Limit contact with outdoor dining guests: Limit contact between workers and patrons by reducing the number of visits wait staff makes to each outdoor table.
o Reservations: Where practical, implement a call-ahead seating model.
o Take-out model: Where practicable, take-out and curbside pick-up services should be prioritized over outdoor dining services.
o Menus: The use of non-touch or disposable paper menus discarded after each patron use is strongly encouraged.
o If not feasible, reusable menus should be cleaned and sanitized between use by each patron.
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CLEANING & SANITIZING PROTOCOLS
o Face coverings: Require all employees to wear cloth face coverings at all times. Such coverings shall be cleaned or replaced daily.
o Preparation: Thoroughly detail, clean, and sanitize the entire facility and continue to do so regularly, focusing such cleaning and sanitation on high contact areas that would be touched by employees and patrons.
o Sanitizing between each customer: Between diners, clean and sanitize table condiments, digital ordering devices, check presenters, self-service areas, tabletops, chairs and commonly touched areas. Discard any single-use items left by the last patron.
o Back-of-house cleaning: Implement procedures to increase cleaning and sanitizing frequency of surfaces in the back-of-house. Avoid all food contact surfaces when using disinfectants.
o Restroom cleaning: Clean and sanitize restrooms regularly, check restrooms based on the frequency of use, and ensure adequate supply of soap and paper towels at all times.
o Hand sanitizers: Provide hand sanitizer for use by patrons, including contactless hand sanitizing stations when available.
FOOD SAFETY
o Disposable plates and utensils: The use of disposable containers and utensils is strongly encouraged. If disposable utensils are not available, silverware must be pre-rolled.
o Trash bins: Where restaurants use disposable containers and utensils, restaurants must place designated trash bins outside where patrons can dispose of all trash at the completion of their meal to minimize contact with wait staff. Bins should be placed in areas that do not create lines for patrons practicing proper social distancing.
o Beverages: Drinks should be served in cans or bottles. If cans or bottles are not available,
disposable cups are strongly encouraged.
o No buffets: Do not offer self-serve salad bars or buffets in outdoor dining areas.
o No self-service: No self-service food, drink, condiment or utensil stations are permitted for outdoor dining.
COMMUNICATING WITH CUSTOMERS
o Post signage: Post signage on entrances that no one with a fever or symptoms of COVID-19 is permitted at the facility.
o Install barriers: Where practicable, physical barriers such as partitions or Plexiglass at cash registers or ordering windows should be used.
o Use technology: Use technological solutions where possible to reduce person-to-person interaction: mobile ordering, mobile access to menus to plan in advance, text on arrival for seating, and contactless payment options.
Small Business Guidelines
West Virginia Strong — The Comeback
GUIDANCE FOR WEST VIRGINIA
SMALL BUSINESSES
In preparing a place of business to return employees to work, small businesses of ten or fewer employees should consider adopting rules and regulations to protect their employees and customers. These guidelines are being published in advance of Governor Justice’s Executive Order — currently anticipated to be effective as of the week of May 4, 2020 — that will allow small businesses with 10 or fewer employees to begin reopening. Employers should consider the following guidelines to help protect their employees, customers, and the citizens of the State of West Virginia:
o Screen employees: Screen all employees reporting to work daily for COVID-19 symptoms with the following questions: o Have you been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19?
o Are you experiencing a cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat?
o Have you had a fever in the last 48 hours?
o Have you had new loss of taste or smell?
o Have you had vomiting or diarrhea in the last 24 hours?
o Sick employees: Direct any employee who exhibits COVID-19 symptoms (i.e., answers yes to any of the screening questions or who is running a fever) to leave the premises immediately and seek medical care and/ or COVID-19 testing, per CDC guidelines. Employers should maintain the confidentiality of employee health information.
o Plan ahead: Develop and implement appropriate policies, in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations and guidance, and informed by industry best practices, regarding: o Social distancing and protective equipment;
o Temperature checks;
o Testing, isolating, and contact tracing;
o Sanitation;
o Limiting use and increased disinfection of common and high-traffic areas; and
o Limiting non-essential business travel.
o Training: Train all employees on the importance and expectation of increased frequency of handwashing, the use of hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol,and provide clear instruction to avoid touching hands to face.
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o Cleaning: Implement workplace cleaning and disinfection practices, according to CDC guidelines, with regular sanitization of common surfaces at least every two hours.
o Monitor: Monitor your employees for indicative symptoms and keep an open line of communication. Encourage workers to report any safety and health concerns to the employer.
o Hygiene: Provide a place to wash hands or alcohol-based hand rubs containing at least 60% alcohol.
o PPE: Require employees to wear PPE when appropriate, with special considerations for those employees that come into contact with the general public.
o Tracing: Develop and implement policies and procedures for employee contact tracing following employees with a positive COVID-19 test, and inform the local health department of such positive test and tracing.
o Phase in: If possible, return employees to work in phases and spread out shifts to reduce excessive or unnecessary interaction.
o Telework: Allow teleworking wherever possible.
o At-risk individuals: Consider special accommodations for employees that are members of a vulnerable population, like senior citizens or immunocompromised people, including encouraging teleworking to the maximum extent possible among other measures.
o Touch points: Point of sale equipment should be frequently cleaned and sanitized. The entrance/ exit doors should be sanitized routinely. Encourage customers to make non-cash payments.
o Cooperation: Plan for potential COVID-19 cases and work with local health department officials when needed (i.e., monitor and trace COVID-19 cases, deep-clean facilities).
o Signage: Post extensive signage on health policies, including the following documents in the workplace to help educate all on COVID-19 best practices: o CDC: Stop the Spread of Germs
o CDC: COVID-19 Symptoms
Where employees of these smaller businesses of ten or fewer employees have employees that come into contact with the general public and/or customers, the employer should consider additional precautionary measures to protect the safety of their employees, customers, and the citizens of the State of West Virginia.
o Establish limitations on existing occupancy limits;
o Enforce reasonable social distancing requirements in all areas of the business, including waiting areas;
o As appropriate, establish an appointment schedule to reduce excessive or unnecessary interaction;
o Institute any possible measure to limit interaction between employees and customers; and
o Require PPE, specifically face masks and gloves, for all employees who will interact with a customer.
West Virginia Strong — The Comeback
Guidance for West Virginia Small Businesses
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Useful Flu Information
Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness. Serious outcomes of flu infection can result in hospitalization or death. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk of serious flu complications. There are two main types of influenza (flu) virus: Types A and B. The influenza A and B viruses that routinely spread in people (human influenza viruses) are responsible for seasonal flu epidemics each year.
The best way to prevent flu is by getting vaccinated each year.
Useful flu resources: