Community Guests
Unless your community is under quarantine, you cannot prevent owners from having guests visit them in their homes. Some of these guests may be necessary caretakers. However, you can ask your members to voluntarily reduce the number of guests they invite into the community and you can suspend the use of the common areas such as a clubhouse, pool or party room for private events hosted by owners. It is also reasonable to ask all guests to comply with the heightened sanitization protocol you’ve put in place including using hand sanitizer. It’s important to remember that the dangers are even higher in our “55 and Over” communities especially for those residents with underlying health issues. The federal and local governments have advised this group to stay off planes, cruises and away from large gatherings.
Exposed Residents and Residents Who Have Tested Positive
If your communities have residents who have been exposed or tested positive for the virus, boards need to consult with association their legal advisors to immediately determine what type of disclosure is appropriate and what kinds of policies regarding the common areas (lobby, corridors, elevators, etc.) need to be immediately implemented. Before any type of disclosure is made, the board and legal counsel need to evaluate the credibility of the information. Self-reporting provides the most credible evidence, but some residents and employees may be fearful of providing the association with that information. If a resident or employee has tested positive your board should work with the Department of Health on the appropriate disclosures and information to keep the virus contained.