COVID-19 Update, March 14th

March 14th, 2020

Dear Tucson Community,

BICAS is committed to supporting our community and is closely monitoring and responding to the rapidly developing situation with COVID-19/corona virus. We will continue to update our response in alignment with recommendations from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Pima County Health Department, basing tough decisions on the safety and well being of all, with prioritized concern for our most vulnerable community members.

For the time being, BICAS will remain open to the public for our daily services and all scheduled workshops and classes. We are assessing the situation as it develops and will provide notification to the community of any changes. We are preparing for the possibility of limited services or the need to cancel classes and will honor requests for reimbursement on paid class fees. Thank you for your understanding and shared commitment to supporting our communities.

Additional commitments we are making in limiting the spread of COVID-19 and its impacts on our community include:

• Establishing a COVID-19 BICAS response team to make rapid decisions for necessary action items in the upcoming days
• Intensifying our cleaning regimen and training our staff on increased surface sanitation and handwashing to limit the spread of the virus
• Encouraging staff to stay home at the initial onset of any symptoms of illness
• Limiting events/classes to attendance of less than 25 people

We request the collaboration of our community in carefully considering the potential risks to yourself and those around you; please remember that our community includes those who may be houseless, immunocompromised, elderly, and or have limited access to healthcare. Keeping that in mind, we ask that you follow best practices below:

• Please refrain from visiting BICAS if you or someone in your household is sick.
• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly and limit physical contact with BICAS employees and other customers while sharing our community space.
• Cover your mouth with a flexed elbow or tissues whenever you sneeze or cough.
• Anticipate your bicycle needs and purchase the supplies you may need now in case of a temporary closure.

We appreciate your support and will continue to share ways in which you can support BICAS and other community organizations in the coming days.

Sincerely,

The BICAS Collective