Alva Review-Courier -

On Friday afternoon, Alva Mayor Kelly Parker signed a proclamation acknowledging a state of serious public concern within the city regarding the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

He acknowledged the declarations of emergency by the president and the Oklahoma governor.

His proclamation addresses city operations, citizens and businesses. Here are items included for the various sectors of the community:

City Operations

• Alva Utility Authority utility cutoffs will be suspended while maintaining existing billing practices.

• Public access is restricted at municipal facilities at City Hall, Alva Public Library, Alva Recreation Complex, Alva Fire Department, Police Department and other municipal facilities as deemed appropriate.

• Municipal employee discretionary travel beyond the boundaries of Woods County and/or the employees’ counties of residence will be assessed for risk to determine fitness for duty.

• The city will provide public health and safety assistance to vulnerable populations within the city limits.

• Personal protective equipment in service to the health and public safety needs of citizens and visitors will be acquired and preserved.

• The city will carry out emergency operations as a unified command to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 and conduct outbreak response activities as warranted by existing circumstances.

Citizens

Citizens of Alva are strongly encouraged to engage in socially responsible behaviors consistent with protecting the health and public safety of all parties including but not limited to:

• Appropriate personal hygiene including behaviors consistent with reducing respiratory disease such as frequent handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, and proper allery symptoms management.

• Attaining knowledge and understanding of COVID-19 prevention, recognition, and treatment; and

• Appropriate self-isolation of individuals with signs and symptoms of respiratory infections, including fever, shortness of breath, sore throat and/or cough.

• Properly seeking professional medical attention and public health guidance when sick.

• Socially responsible patronage of local businesses including reasonable purchasing of staples, social distancing, other nontraditional accessing of local goods and services.

• Other socially responsible behaviors in the interest of preserving and protecting the health and safety of vulnerable populations within the City of Alva.

Businesses

Business in and around Alva are encouraged to enact business practices including:

• Becoming informed of assistance programs available to small businesses and seeking assistance as needed.

• Implementing purchasing limits and otherwise discouraging panic over-purchasing, thereby preserving availability of goods and services for the population.

• Implementing non-traditional and innovative practices designed to limit exposure to and transmission of COVID-19.

City of Alva

The city will also enact:

• Appropriate utilization of updated allowances in the Oklahoma Open Meetings Act to mitigate exposure risk and transmission of COVID-19 while maintaining public participation in meetings of the Alva City Council, Authorities and Committees subject to open meetings.

• Timely consideration and action to requested support form Woods County, State of Oklahoma and federal entities in the COVID-19 emergency.