Updated message regarding the offices of Alamo Architects | 20 March 2020
Over the past week, Alamo Architects’ staff has been transitioning to working at home as a response to COVID-19. As of the close of business Friday, March 20th, the office will be, temporarily, working remotely. Our office at 1512 S. Flores will not be available for meetings but we will continue to receive job-related deliveries and mail. You can reach us by email or phone.
We have been preparing for this contingency and our staff have the necessary tools – hardware, software and communication platforms – to work productively. We will continue to conduct regular project and team meetings with clients by expanding our use of virtual meetings and communication tools. Our Principals, Project Managers and Administrative Staff will be reaching out to make sure emergency contact information is available.
We would like to thank everyone within our community who have already demonstrated a remarkable amount of compassion and hope as we are collectively navigating through this uncharted time
Please reach out to any of us Alamoans if you have questions, concerns or need a helping hand in any way. As we move individually and collectively let’s do so with empathy, dignity, and grace.
TOSS-A-WYH (Taco On…Stay Safe And Wash Your hands)
March 13, 2020
Alamo Architects and 2019 Novel Coronavirus
In early March, Alamo Architects began preparing for the presence of the COVID-19 virus in our area. As a number of major employers and institutions have already made decisions regarding their employees, we would like to share our current plans.
In general, we will be following the recommendations and guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), in their Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), February 2020
As such, Alamo Architects has taken the following necessary steps:
- Sick employees are advised to stay home. Specifically, the Guidance states that employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home and not come to work until they are free of fever (100.4° F [37.8° C] or greater using an oral thermometer), signs of a fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g.cough suppressants).”
- Alamo Architects employees who may be traveling (regardless of location), are recommended to review the CDC’s Traveler’s Health Notices for the latest recommendations for each location to which they will travel. As a firm, we discourage travel – either regionally, or internationally – unless it is for an emergency.
- In the event that an employee is confirmed to have the Coronavirus, the Guidance states that employers “should inform fellow employees of their possible exposure to 2019-nCoV in the workplace but maintain confidentiality as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).” The Guidance further states that employees exposed to a co-worker with confirmed 2019-nCoV should refer to CDC guidance for how to conduct a risk assessment of their potential exposure”).
- Alamo Architects is addressing possible work-related exposure and health risks to employees and visitors. To this end we recommend that everyone wash their hands thoroughly and use hand sanitizers before and after any meeting or contact with equipment (copiers, coffee pot, etc.) or facilities (conference rooms, tables, etc.) used by the office on a regular basis.
- We have instructed our staff to limit contact with clients, consultants, contractors, sales reps or others to only those essential or critical to our business functions and roles. We are thereby, encouraging the use of videoconferencing as much as possible. For front office personnel this would also include suppliers of products, paper, drinks and delivery companies, etc.
As lifelong members and supporters of the San Antonio community, Alamo Architects is encouraging our staff to continue to embrace family, friends and our clients with compassion and respect. We are confident that we will all get through these trying times together and emerge as an even stronger community.