The City of Elmhurst has been notified that a Public Works Department employee has tested positive for COVID-19. The employee was notified of the diagnosis on Sunday April 19th and immediately notified city management. The employee’s last day at work was Tuesday, April 14th.

The employee’s job requires little to no contact with the general public and there is a low probability that members of the general public have been exposed while this employee was on duty. All employees who may have had potential exposure to the diagnosed employee have been notified and none of these individuals are experiencing any symptoms. The diagnosed employee is taking every precaution as directed by healthcare providers and will remain under quarantine for 14-days.

The City has disinfected all areas of the Public Works Garage in which the diagnosed employee may have come in contact with including the vehicles, equipment, work stations and common areas. The City vehicle that was last used by the employee was taken out of service before work on Wednesday, April 15th and will be thoroughly decontaminated before it is allowed to be used again.

The City continues to encourage employees to be proactive with regard to cleaning their individual work areas and personal items with wipes and sanitizer, and washing their hands often. Since the onset of the pandemic, the Public Works Department has practiced strict social distancing measures including:

• All employee shifts have been split into small teams and are working in separate locations
• All employees are required to maintain 6-feet apart whenever possible
• All vehicles, work stations, and equipment are cleaned and disinfected frequently

The Public Works Department remains open to essential city services. The City of Elmhurst has plans in place to ensure that all essential services are not affected due to the rapidly evolving COVID-19. Last month, the City cancelled all non-essential events and meetings and all City facilities began restricting public access. Mayor Morley also declared a civil emergency and issued an executive order in response to COVID-19.

 “Our thoughts and prayers are with this employee during this difficult time.” states City Manager Jim Grabowski. “Now more than ever, I am proud of our employees who have risen to this challenge and continue to provide the community with the same responsive and superior customer service that our residents expect.”

A community wide effort is being made to encourage residents of Elmhurst to abide by the Governor’s Executive Order. Please visit Elmhurst.org/ElmhurstStaysHome to see what your fellow residents are doing to stay positive while the Stay at Home Order is in place. Visit Elmhurst.org for the latest updates from the City of Elmhurst on COVID-19.

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