Business leaders, workers sought for Whatcom County coronavirus business task force
Whatcom County officials moved quickly to seek members for its new COVID-19 Business Support Task Force, citing an urgent need to protect both workers and customers from infection once statewide social-distancing restrictions begin to ease.
Task force members will offer guidance for opening businesses while maintaining and improving infection control and social distancing to limit spread of the new coronavirus, according to a statement issued Monday, April 27, 2020.
Online applications to serve on the Whatcom County Public Health Advisory Board’s task force will be taken for three days starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 28, at the board’s web page.
Applications must be downloaded and emailed to health@co.whatcom.wa.us by 5 p.m. Thursday, April 30.
Members will be considered during a meeting at 2 p.m. Friday, May 1.
Community members, workers and representatives of various business sectors throughout Whatcom County are encouraged to apply.
They will work in concert with broader economic development and recovery efforts at the county level, the statement said.
“Having industry experts work together with public health to design practices that will work for businesses is a lynchpin step toward businesses reopening safely,” said Erika Lautenbach, director of the Whatcom County Health Department.
“We know our business and organizational partners want to do their part to prevent further infections in our community, and we’re looking forward to having creative and strategic minds work together on this,” Lautenbach said in the statement.
Whatcom County residents with experience in these areas are being sought: agriculture; car dealerships; business associations; children’s recreation and activities; construction; religious leaders; gyms, athletic clubs and exercise studios; health care, including elective surgery specialists and specialty practices; service providers such as hair salons; manufacturing; real estate; retail stores; restaurants and bars; tribal representatives as selected by tribal leadership, employees from any business sector; managers of businesses that are open and using good infection-control measures; and members the community at large.
The first meeting of the task force will be during the week of May 4, and will be available to the public online at the Public Health Advisory Board web page.
