Pima County is currently under a high rate of transmission as the Delta variant spreads (data here). The situation continues to evolve. Here is CSDP’s response plan to help slow the spread and to help keep our staff and volunteers safe:
- All CSDP staff are fully vaccinated. We have in place a Pandemic Policy that provides paid leave for staff in the case of illness due to Covid-19, and contingency plans in the event that staff must be out for an extended period of time.
- Staff are working remotely from home with short coordinated visits to the office as needed. Meetings and outreach, wherever possible, are being conducted virtually.
- Our office in Suite 205 in the Historic Y building is currently closed to visitors except by appointment. The Historic Y’s current policy is that all tenants of and visitors to The Historic Y building must be fully vaccinated, or are required to wear a mask and maintain 6 ft distance from others, or remain outside.
- Volunteers needing to receive or deliver camera equipment, SD cards, batteries or other supplies are coordinating hand-offs with Jessica. There is a drop off location at her house on the NW side of town, or she can leave/pick up supplies from your porch or at a mutual meeting location.
- Desert Monitors should wear a mask when within 6ft of each other, and are encouraged to share their vaccination status with their fellow team members before meeting, as appropriate. New information shows that vaccinated individuals are still able to transmit Covid-19 to others and the CDC recommends everyone wear masks indoors. While hiking outdoors it is safer, we still recommend wearing a mask to reduce risk when you are closer than 6ft.
- We adapted our Desert Identifier program so that volunteers can work remotely and on their own schedules. This has been highly successfully and will continue.
- Highway Cleanups remain suspended until this activity can be done safely for all participants and staff.
- Mailing Parties are now “On Tour” with supplies being delivered and picked up from your porch.
CSDP’s position is to encourage everyone to get vaccinated, wear a mask, and to isolate when feeling sick or if exposed.
These are challenging times, but also times to celebrate and spread our joys, extend understanding and grace, and help everyone get through this together. Many of our adaptions to this unprecedented crisis have made our community closer, our teams stronger, our work more efficient, and our outcomes better, simply because we are uplifting and caring for each other.
Thank you for doing your part.
Questions or comments? Feel free to send an email to our Associate Director Kathleen Kennedy at Kathleen.Kennedy@sonorandesert.org or leave us a voicemail at (520) 388-9925 and we’d be happy to chat with you!