Handshake-Free Zones & Long-Distance Thermometers

Signs went up declaring government buildings handshake-free zones, and the fire department ordered thermometers that can take people’s temperatures from 10 feet away, as officials ratcheted up New Haven’s planning for the expected arrival of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

The signs, like the one pictured above being posted Tuesday at the Hall of Records at 200 Orange St., repeated Mayor Justin Elicker’s echo for people to refrain from handshakes and hugs in order to restrain the spread of the deadly virus.

The fire department received a new batch of equipment to prepare for an outbreak. Ten new infrared thermometers, similar to ones being used at airports, will enable firefighters from a distance to obtain a ​“quick first impression” of whether someone is running a fever, said Assistant Chief Mark Vendetto. Then they’ll know whether to make use of an N95 respirator or full face shield before coming closer, in order to avoid potentially contracting the virus.

The department has obtained 15 other thermometers to use up close to obtain highly accurate readings through the ear canal.

The department has ordered special equipment to decontaminate and sterilize firehouses, backs of ambulances, or anywhere else where firefighters may end up helping people with the virus should it hit the city.

Also Tuesday, Gov. Ned Lamont signed declarations invoking a civil preparedness emergency and a public health emergency. ​“The emergency declarations provide the governor with the authority to take specific, swift actions determined necessary to protect the safety and health of residents in the state, including the temporary suspension of certain state laws and regulations” and to take action against price-gouging related to the crisis, the governor’s office stated in a release.

Meanwhile, the mayor’s two top point people — New Haven city Health Director Maritza Bond and Community Services Administrator Mehul Dalal — offered updates and answered listeners’ questions about COVID-19 on an episode of WNHH FM’s ​“Dateline New Haven” program (above).

Among the pair’s responses and reports:

• They’ve asked leaders of public government hearings, like Wednesday evening’s planned alder hearing on the proposed new city budget, to begin sessions with requests for people to try to keep some distance between themselves and others, and to ​“feel free” to leave after speaking.

• A team is now meeting daily at City Hall to draw up scenarios for government changes in case of a spread here: Moving non-essential functions of government online or making the work remote, for instance; and whether to close schools and to make public meetings more virtual.

“It is important for parents to prepare for the possibility of school closings,” said Dalal, who has arranged for a relative to care for his two children during the day. He said he knows that many parents don’t have that option, and that it won’t be easy for many families, he said.

“We are planning for the unknown,” Bond said.

• The city is working with United Way to make sure schoolchildren reliant on free meals receive food during a potential shutdown.

• A meeting is being organized with faith leaders to discuss planning for local congregations.

• Officials are not recommending that people buy and wear face masks unless they are sick.

• Officials are concerned about myths spreading about the virus supposedly affecting different racial or ethnic groups differently. No evidence for that, Dalal said in response to one listener’s question.

• The city is ​“asking to business community to step up” by providing ​“more generous” paid sick leave policies, community the policies clearly, and encouraging sick workers to stay home, Dalal said.

• Dalal and Bond said that hospitals nationwide have experienced shortages of needed medical equipment in dealing with coronavirus outbreaks. Asked if Yale New Haven Hospital is adequately supplied, they referred the question to the hospital itself. A hospital spokesman subsequently emailed this response: ​“Yale New Haven Health carefully monitors and manages its supplies each day, working closely with our local and regional supply vendors to insure all of our members hospitals are adequately equipped to provide care to our patients and resources to our staff.”

To have questions answered about COVID-19, people can call the health department at 203 – 946-4949 and consult dedicated sections of the city government and Centers for Disease Control websites.

Yale School Of Music Cancelations

The following public concerts have been canceled at the Yale School of Music:

3/14 MetHD broadcast of Der Fliegende Holländer
3/25 Horowitz Piano Series, Wei-Yi Yang
3/31 Oneppo Chamber Music Series, Pamela Frank and Emanuel Ax
4/1 Yale in New York Preview
4/1 Smithsonian Chamber Players: Schubertiade, Collection of Musical Instruments
4/2 Yale in New York at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall
4/3 Yale Philharmonia, Carlos Kalmar, guest conductor
4/4 Woolsey Hall Concerto Competition (will take place but will be closed to the public)
4/8 Lunchtime Chamber Music (will take place but will be closed to the public)
4/11 MetHD broadcast of Tosca
4/16 New Music New Haven, Tania León, guest composer (we hope to reschedule to later this semester)
4/19 Brass Lecture-Concerts, Collection of Musical Instruments