Memorial Hospital Provides Recommendations for Reopening Local Businesses

May 18, 2020

Nick Dukehart, Assistant Program Coordinator; Andrea Murphy, Infection Prevention Specialist and Will Owen, Emergency Management Coordinator & Nurse Educator.
Presenting the guidelines are three members of Memorial's Emergency Management and Infection Prevention Teams. (L-R): Nick Dukehart, Assistant Program Coordinator; Andrea Murphy, Infection Prevention Specialist and Will Owen, Emergency Management Coordinator & Nurse Educator.
Contact: Megan Penny
603-356-5461 x2264 / megan.lieberman@mainehealth.org

NORTH CONWAY, NH – In a typical month of May, the local businesses of the Mount Washington Valley would be preparing to launch their summer season and welcome tourists to the area.

Instead, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses are making alternative plans, following the Governor’s Stay At Home 2.0 order, which allows for the gradual reopening of certain parts of New Hampshire’s economy.

Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, Memorial Hospital has focused on safety precautions to limit transmission, and keep staff and the community safe, while preparing for a possible surge.
With expertise in emergency preparedness and employee training concerning COVID-19, the Emergency Management and Infection Prevention teams at Memorial Hospital created an educational presentation with resources for the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce to share with local businesses.

“We want local businesses to be able to take pertinent information back to their staff,” said Will Owen, Emergency Management Coordinator and Nurse Educator at Memorial Hospital. “We want to make sure their staff is safe, that guests are safe, and that they try to limit further transmission in the community.”

The hour-long training sessions will offer guidelines for businesses from state and federal resources, such as employee safety and screening, infection prevention and hygiene, signage and communication and social distancing tools.

“We are grateful for Memorial Hospital’s collaboration with the Chamber in presenting training modules to our business community,” said Janice Crawford, Executive Director of the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce. “This assures our businesses, governing bodies and guests that we take the guidelines for safeguarding our staff and guests very seriously.”

Memorial Hospital staff will present the training sessions remotely, via GoToMeeting at 10am on Wednesday, May 20, Thursday, May 21 and Friday, May 22. To register, email Becky Adams at timothy.kershner@mainehealth.org. Each session is limited to 150 people and is free for all Mt. Washington Valley businesses.

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