The Healthy Business Alliance is dedicated to providing information and resources to individuals, organizations, and businesses crafted to further public health and economic vitality for Kankakee County in a Covid-19 environment. We encourage businesses, churches, organizations and all residents to utilize the materials on these pages. It is our hope to have widespread community support to help spread the word about our shared best practices, deploying tools and resources that help minimize the impact of Covid-19 in the every-day life of Kankakee County residents.

Our mission is to support the integration of these best practices into the framework of our business community for today, and for tomorrow. We are fiercely dedicated to helping protect human health, our local economic health, and supplying our vibrant community with information tools that support your commitment to this effort.

For up to date business information please visit: http://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/coronavirus/business-guidance

 

Recovery Framework

The Healthy Business Alliance is focused on four primary goals:

  • Health and Wellness of our residents;
  • Maintaining our healthcare system;
  • Protecting critical resources
  • A return to a safe, and robust economy

Reopening Toolkit

The Healthy Business Alliance is a campaign designed to support our community’s recovery by getting everyone back engaged in all aspects of the community. Businesses and community members can use the provided resources to learn how they can help our community safely reopen and remain open, with public health and economic prosperity at the forefront.

Below are tools and resources designed to help safely guide employers and businesses, and support employees and customers.

Industry Specific Guidelines and Toolkits

The State of Illinois moved to Phase 5 of the Restore Illinois plan on June 11 2021. 

What this means: 

  • Fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.
  • All sectors of the economy can resume at regular capacity.
  • The return of large gatherings, festivals and events without capacity restrictions
  • Phase 5 removes requirements that businesses institute mandatory social distancing in seated venues as well as daily health screenings of employees and visitors.

Regardless of vaccination status, masks are still required on public transportation; in transportation hubs, such as airports and train and bus stations; in congregate facilities such as correctional facilities, veterans’ homes, and long-term care facilities, group homes, and residential facilities; and in healthcare settings.

Additional resources for the Restore Illinois Plan are listed here:

Bars & Restaurants

Child Care and Day Camps

EMS and Hospital PPE Conservation

Exercise Facilities

Faith-Based

Food & Meat Processing

Grocery Stores

Hotels

Logistics & Transportation

Manufacturing

Museums

Offices

Oral and Dental Care Services

Outdoor Recreation

Personal Care

Theaters and Performing Arts

Retail

Schools

Service Counters

Youth Sports

Zoos

A complete outline of Illinois Guidelines for Reopening in phase 3

A complete outline of Illinois Guidelines for Reopening in phase 4

IDPH Restoring Illinois FAQ

Preparing Business Space

CDC Guidance for how to clean and disinfect

  • Sanitize and disinfect using EPA-registered disinfectants using minimum staff,
  • Special consideration to: restrooms, common surfaces, common spaces, food service areas, work stations, common equipment, tools, phones etc.,
  • Increase ventilation and replace or clean and disinfect HVAC filters,
  • Provide deep cleaning by professional service if employee is tested positive

Returning to Work

Wellness Screening Program

  • Conduct a temperature check of all employees upon entry, prior to shift. Ensure proper PPE is provided.
  • Employers should provide information and/or post signage about the symptoms of COVID-19 in order to allow employees to self-assess whether they have any symptoms and should consider going home.
  • Require any sick employees to stay home
  • Screen all visitors and vendors and keep a log of outside visitors coming into the establishment.

General Workplace Guidance

Suspected or Confirmed Case of COVID-19 in the Workplace

Travel Guidelines

Communication to Employees & Customers

  • Update online information and continue to share updates on your products & services,
  • Utilize posters, door clings, banners, and social media to promote Healthy Business principles,
  • Promote safety measures taken,
  • Require sick employees and customers to stay home,
  • Personalize contact with customers: by phone, virtually, by appointment, pick up or delivery,
  • Design and announce reopening when applicable,
  • Include what inspired you to do business in the first place,
  • Thank you note for their support.

Planning Logistics

  • Develop preparedness and response plan including identifying and isolating the sick,
  • Consider phased approach to bringing employees back, or staggered / flexible hours,
  • Minimize contact with virtual communications when possible,
  • Limit non-essential visitors,
  • Consider a screening program for visitors,
  • Provide communication and training for employees,
  • Develop routine sanitation plan for common touch areas & equipment,
  • Develop plan for recording accurate list of visitors,
  • Limit cash handling and encourage credit/debit card, or contactless payment,
  • Use as much curbside or outside interaction as possible,
  • Use by appointment option when possible & have customers wait in vehicles until appointment,
  • Implement separate operating hours for elderly and vulnerable customers if applicable,

Health and Wellness

Vaccination Resources

Health and Wellness Suggestions

  • Conduct wellness screenings and monitor illness as needed (may include temperature checks),
  • Require employees to stay home if sick and evaluate policies to accommodate for this,
  • Require face coverings and physical distancing of at least 6 feet if possible for customers and employees,
  • Provide at least 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer for customers and employees

Workspace

  • Close or modify common areas where employees congregate,
  • Signage at doors regarding personal wellness, distancing practices and wearing face covering,
  • Signage for: handwashing, face coverings, other sanitation reminders,
  • Floor markings for 6’ physical distancing where possible lines or gathering occur,
  • Provide directional or traffic flow assistance,
  • Physical distance of workspace as permitted,
  • Sanitize & disinfect workspaces: office, bathroom, common area & shared equipment,
  • Install physical barriers when possible such as plastic guards,

For Employees

  • Job Saftey and Health poster from the Illinois Department of Labor
  • Employee Fact Sheet
  • Consider working at home if possible
  • Avoid sharing equipment with other employees
  • Conduct wellness screenings and monitor illness as needed
  • Wash hands, or use sanitizer throughout the day
  • Use face coverings when physical distancing is not possible and ensure they are worn properly
  • Sanitize & disinfect workspaces: office, common area & shared equipment
  • Physical distance in the workspace as permitted, wear face coverings when 6 feet of distance cannot be maintained
  • Be aware of social distancing requirements and encourage customers to observe

For Customers

  • Avoid common touch items and use disposable where possible
  • Wellness screening as needed (may include temperature checks),
  • Require use of face coverings,
  • Sanitize & disinfect spaces throughout the day: office, bathroom common area & shared space,
  • Provide and encourage use of hand sanitizer when entering.
  • Display physical distance visuals: signage, marketing, mapping, directional markings 
  • For printable signage visit the Phase 3 Toolkit

Customers should look for the HBAKC signage in businesses, and support public health and economic vitality by voluntarily wearing masks in businesses or other interactive spaces. Customers should also know that a store or business can generally prohibit you from entering the building if you do not have a face covering in order to protect the health of others. However, if you have a medical condition or disability that prevents you from safely wearing a face-covering, then you should speak with a store employee about a reasonable accommodation to help you obtain the services you need without endangering your health or the health of other shoppers. For more information, please see the questions on reasonable accommodations. We strongly hope that consideration of others may help compliance with this simple bare-bones mitigation technique for the betterment of Kankakee County residents and businesses.  

For more information on face coverings in public spaces visit FAQ for Businesses Concerning Use of Face-Coverings

Communication Materials

archive HBAKC Logo

How Tos

Make a Face Covering

Sanitization Guide 

Vaccination Information

Business Support

Local Resources

State Resources

Federal Resources

Other Programs and Support

Contact

Kankakee County COVID-19 Hotline 815-802-9311

Kankakee County Health Department

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  • Bobby Nichols - ServPro
  • David O'Connell - Premium Specialties
  • Greg Murphy - Superintendent of Schools
  • James Taylor - City News
  • Jim Byrne - County Board Member
  • Kari Nugent - Kcc Marketing
  • Kathleen Slavin - Restaurant/Bar Owner, Aroma Park Trustee
  • Marylyn Turner-Mallory - American Family Insurance
  • Pastor Kevin Boesen - Herscher United Methodist
  • Patricia Polk - County Board Member
  • Pete Les - Quality Inn
  • Rodney Lake - Pastor
  • Sara Rabideau - President of Cosmetologists Illinois
  • Vincent Clark- KCCSI
  • Senator Patrick Joyce
  • Village of Hopkins Park