Parkes Shire Council is taking its own steps to ensure it can continue to provide services to the community through the global Coronavirus pandemic.
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Council has developed a risk-based alert strategy to guide its response as the pandemic unfolds over the coming weeks and months.
It has limited organisational travel outside the region to essential purposes only, is encouraging social-distancing and reviewing all of its own events and gatherings, and assessing the need for them to occur.
Council's General Manager Kent Boyd PSM said council has a responsibility to manage the health risks to its employees, contractors, councillors, visitors and customers who attend its workplaces.
"The global pandemic of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has seen unprecedented actions being taken by governments around the world," Mr Boyd said.
"These actions are designed to slow down the spread of the virus so that medical services are not overwhelmed, and lives are saved.
"Actions are largely based around prevention, through good hygienic practices or by social distancing to prevent human-to-human transmission, either directly or indirectly, through close contact with an infected person."
Such actions have impacted several events in the Parkes Shire - as it has across the country and world - such as the Trundle ABBA Festival and upcoming winter sporting events, and on council's operations.
"Council is well prepared to provide continuous service while ensuring the community and our own safety is protected," Mr Boyd said.
"We have developed a response plan for critical services at various levels of infection within the organisation and/or the community.
"Council will proactively support any government directive and guideline in relation to managing the spread of COVID-19.
"Council will also work with other event organisers with planned events in the vicinity of 500 and ensure they are aware these events must be cancelled."
Mr Boyd said they are encouraging residents to re-think the need to come into council's offices for day-to-day transactions, such as payments of rates, applications and general requests.
"Council offers online payment options to pay your rates and application fees and can be contacted via phone or email during office hours," he said.
"You can also connect with council through our Facebook or Twitter channels.
"With many businesses already being impacted by this pandemic, while also still feeling the effects of prolonged drought, it is more important than ever that we advocate for increased local procurement to support our businesses to be resilient and get through these tough times."
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the Department of Health have directed that from March 16, all organised, non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people are to be cancelled.
The advice does not include workplaces, schools, universities, shops, supermarkets, public transport and airports.
All visitors travelling into Australia from March 15 must also self-isolate for 14 days, with non-Australian based cruise ships barred from docking in Australian ports for 30 days.
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