One Year Later: Hope, and the Continued Fight Against COVID

March 17, 2021

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Springfield Chamber shares its latest information on emergency funding, vaccines, testing, procuring additional PPE, and other public efforts to fight the pandemic.

The increased access to vaccines and testing alongside the lifting of restrictions on businesses is behind what Springfield Chamber CEO Vonnie Mikkelsen says is a growing level of optimism she observes in the business community. “We’re all in a hurry to put the pandemic in the past, and we seem to be getting close. But we also know it’s in our best interest to stay vigilant by continuing to follow safety guidance,” said Mikkelsen. “In doing so, businesses are finding they not only ensure customer and worker safety but also drive consumer confidence and sales; a best case scenario we hope facilitates a smooth transition back to a more familiar level of commerce.”

“We’re encouraged by the availability and well-organized mass vaccination events made possible by so many community partners,” added Mikkelsen. “This is critical to a smooth path to reopening our economy and we’ve been supporting that effort by offering employers information and encouraging pre-registration.”

“We’re encouraged by the availability and well-organized mass vaccination events made possible by so many community partners”

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce is one of the business community’s key resources for information and answers to questions on running a successful business. “We want our members, and their clients/customers, to feel safe, confident, and to count on us to connect them with resources to help stabilize and grow their businesses.”

ESSENTIAL RESOURCES

Mikkelsen said the Chamber is staying on top of resources members can use and shares them regularly through its website, social media, and member-only newsletters.

“It’s important that our members continue to have access to information and resources they need. New federal and state assistance, access to PPE, and access to vaccinations are top of mind for us,” she added. “We recognize there continues to be some ambiguity in the fast-changing nature of regulation and information. Our members expect and deserve that we be there to provide clarity and to advocate for relief, resources, and for practical solutions.”

Today we can reaffirm what we announced one year ago that “in an effort to support your ability to navigate through immediate, evolving, and near future impacts, the Chamber is and will be working closely with City, County, and State agencies. We are doing everything we can to effectively anticipate, respond, and advocate for resources; particularly those that will help mitigate these impacts. Your patience, informed decisions, expertise, and support to our community at large in the coming weeks will be important, and welcome.”

That remains true, even more so today. Our COVID-19 Business Resource Hub continues to serve members as a local online center for all relevant information regarding the most current guidelines, grants and applications, and other beneficial resources. Make sure to also check out Lane County’s COVID-19 webpage.

EMERGENCY FUNDING

One of the Chamber’s key partners is the Small Business Development Center at Lane Community College. The SBDC provides resources for small business including information on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds. A new round of funding is underway, and forgiveness on repaying these loans is available and reportedly getting easier, so don’t miss out. Visit the SBDC’s Covid Resource page for more.

Jenna Cusimano, Lane County’s community and economic development management analyst, tells us the best way for businesses to receive notification of new funding opportunities is to sign up for updates here: https://tinyurl.com/covidfunds-notification. They provide notifications on both Lane County programs and other opportunities they hear about from state and federal programs.

Currently, Business Oregon has applications open for their Commercial Rent Relief program. The application window opened March 8 for two weeks and requires both the tenant and landlord participation. Recipients will be selected via lottery.

Recently, SBA provided details on their forthcoming Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program. The application is not yet live, but there is information to prepare businesses to apply. The program is geared towards businesses such as live venue operators or promoters, performing arts organizations, museums, and movie theaters.

HOW CAN MY STAFF AND I SIGN-UP FOR VACCINES?

Lane County Health offers this two-step registration so you can register for your vaccine, receive a notification for when you can get your vaccine, and be alerted to “who’s next.”

WHAT ABOUT TESTING FOR MY EMPLOYEES?

Another key aspect to slowing the spread is frequent testing and honest contact tracing if someone tests positive. Some of the community’s top partners in providing tests and rapid results are the University of Oregon, Nova Health, PacificSource Health Plans, McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center, PeaceHealth, and Oregon Medical Group. At the onset of the pandemic, thousands of coronavirus tests and contact tracing capabilities were funded by a $800,000 contribution from PacificSource Health Plans to utilize the U of O’s research capabilities and help the university meet benchmarks required to reopen, and to provide for the community’s needs.

The U of O is now hosting Nova Health’s free COVID-19 testing at various campus locations for all asymptomatic Chamber members and other Lane County residents. Available dates, times, and locations are listed here. Matt Roberts, senior director of community relations at the University of Oregon, said that pre-registration is required via the registration portal which is updated on a weekly basis. Upcoming testing dates are also at those web pages. Walk-ins cannot be tested.

At the outset, Nova Health played a key role in helping keep our communities healthy. When the pandemic arrived in early 2020, Nova Health became a leader in providing COVID-19 tests both at their Urgent Care clinics and pop-up drive-through testing sites, including partnering with the University of Oregon for our Autzen Stadium drive-through location.

According to Craig Simmons, VP of sales and marketing at Nova Health, today a patient can have a walk-in appointment at a Nova Health Urgent Care clinic to get a COVID test. To minimize potential wait times, register online at novahealth.com with the following options:

An in-person provider visit and nasal swab at a Urgent Care clinic,
or a telemedicine visit and see a provider in the comfort of their home and then come to a clinic for the nasal swab which minimizes times in the clinic.

Nova’s COVID tests are billed through insurance or self-paid by the patient though with most insurances, there is no out-of-pocket cost to the patient.

When the vaccine becomes available to Nova Health for community disbursement, they will partner with the Oregon Health Authority and distribute per state and CDC guidelines. Updates regarding the availability of vaccines can be found on novahealth.com.

According to Jana Waterman, VP of business development/marketing at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center, business owners, managers, and staff can still get drive-up COVID testing 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. seven days a week at the hospital’s main entrance; but wait times can vary between a half-hour to one hour. As with other testing locations, the turnaround time for test results is within 48 hours and test accuracy is 98%. A provider-signed requisition is required, however there is no cost to the patient. If you have symptoms you should go to your PCP, Urgent Care, or the ER.

MY BUSINESS NEEDS MORE PPE!

We have lots of Personal Protective Equipment including masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer available to ensure Chamber members are well supplied—whether for their staff or in-office/in-store customers.

For additional face masks or gloves for your business, the Chamber has partnered with the City of Springfield and Huerto de la Familia to procure and distribute personal protective equipment for member businesses.

For more information or to schedule a pick-up or delivery, please contact:

City of Springfield at: 541-726-3700 or cmomail@springfield-or.gov
Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce at: 541-746-1651 or info@springfield-chamber.org
Huerto de la Familia: 541-505-9569 or info@huertodelafamilia.org

When arranging pick-up or delivery, businesses will be asked to provide a business name, their business’s physical address, and minimal contact information for verification of being located in Springfield.

Businesses can request supplies one time per month. The masks are provided by Business Oregon and are meant for either business employees or patrons, at the discretion of the business, and are not medical grade.

To date more than 7,000 masks have been distributed to more than 90 Springfield small businesses. Any small business (50 employees or fewer) currently operating in Springfield is eligible for a pick-up or delivery.

ANOTHER PPE RESOURCE

The Safety Gear Exchange, is a platform created by the Chamber to help facilitate member–to–member exchange of PPE and other safety gear including masks, gloves, and sanitizer. This continues to enable the Chamber, through our partnership with the City of Springfield, to distribute free face masks to Springfield small businesses. These masks were provided by Business Oregon and were meant to give small businesses the ability to offer masks to patrons or employees when needed.

RENEW THE PLEDGE WITH US

The Chamber is a lead partner in the #LoveLaneBiz campaign’s business pledge: to be in compliance, keep employees and customers safe, to educate and support staff, and to stay informed. Please review it with employees and renew your pledge today to safely serve our Lane County community as we reopen. Find more at: https://www.springfield-chamber.org/lovelanebiz-pledge/.

Similarly, there is also a customer pledge to exercise thoughtfulness, stay informed, shop locally, be respectful and have patience. Share it with customers and clients through your social media.

KEEP FOLLOWING THE FOUR

The Lane County campaign reminds us that the easiest way to “Don’t Invite COVID” is to “Follow the Four” by wearing a mask, washing hands frequently, observing social distancing requirements, and limiting gathering sizes to no more than state recommended levels. The initiative, launched by Lane Transit District and 20 other partners in December, is a “health-first initiative to deliver these potentially life-saving messages in a respectful, yet playful way for a fresh embrace of what we can all do to prevent COVID from spreading,” according to LTD’s general manager Aurora Jackson. dontinvitecovid.org, noinvitescovid.org

We are grateful to all our outstanding members for their continued efforts in keeping their staff, clients, customers, and the community safe.

SPECIAL THANKS TO FRONTLINE PROFESSIONALS

The Chamber recognized the frontline workers (and those who support them) at McKenzie-Willamette and PeaceHealth for their dedication and sacrifice of time to prevent the spread and treat the afflicted. These extraordinary individuals were presented a special 2020 Award of Distinction for their outstanding commitment to the community during the pandemic on February 25 during the 71^st annual Springfield Chamber Awards & Board of Directors Installation online event. To read more about the Award of Distinction, check out this article.

The Springfield Chamber continues to strengthen, promote, and champion the business community throughout this challenging journey to balance between a strong economy and societal restrictions that weaken it. To adapt a famous encouraging phrase, “Let’s not get weary of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessings if we don’t give up.”