What to tell customers during COVID-19

What do you tell the people who support your brand when it comes to COVID-19 aka crisis management?

Credit: Graphic Journalism Communication Arts

This post will be helpful for answering the looming question about how or even if you should send a broad-sweeping email about COVID-19 to your customer base.  For some, the answer will be "but of course" while others are still "on-the-fence" and it's not about the border wall this go-round.

Oevae as a company is sincerely saddened by the loss of life anyone has experienced due to this amazing shift in our world.  If you were looking for new world order, this may be your bus?

So this is our independent look at what some of the top brands are saying about COVID-19 as Americans and people around the world try to get a grip on the daily.  Read what companies like McDonald's, Lululemon, FedEx, Marriott, Geico, and smaller companies have to say.

All content is original, unedited with hyperlinks and logos where possible via copy-and-paste. 

The list of COVID-19 messages to consumers from some of today's top brands is certainly expected to grow as companies big and small add their two cents about the #cornavirus in America and around the world.  Perhaps you and your team will be inspired when/if you should craft a message and how you can best position your brand around the #COVID19 — At the writing of this post, there is a great deal of fog around the next phases of the coronavirus outbreak—a true human tragedy. 

NOTE: Search page by #hashtags for those looking for a particular brand.

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#cricut

Dear Cricut members,


We want you to know we are here for you. Many of you, including Cricut employees, are taking extra precautions to stay safe. This means working from home, preoccupying kids, and even canceling plans for travel and entertainment.


We know that crafting is a form of therapy and brings joy to so many people. To that end, our focus at Cricut will be to help our members stay inspired, find peace of mind, and keep connected – if only virtually – during this unusual time.

Starting now, here are a few ways we hope to make your life a little easier:


Free Images – So you can make more, we've made an additional 1,000 images FREE in Design Space for a limited time – that’s on top of the usual free cut images! To keep things fresh, we’ll swap out the image sets over the next few weeks (we recommend opening the link on Design Space for Desktop).


Free Shipping – From now through March 31st, 2020, shipping on every cricut.com order is on us. We promise to stay in touch regarding any delays that may occur due to the extra safety measures we’re taking to keep our logistics partners and employees safe.


Member Care – Our committed Member Care team will be working from home. Apologies in advance for potential delayed response times. You can always check out the help site and blog for FAQ & tutorials.

We look forward to making together.


The Cricut Team

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#berkeleyhomedecor

To our valued customers,

• Our thoughts and prayers go out to all who have been affected. Meanwhile, we have currently made changes to our business operations and are taking precautionary safety measures to better protect our customers and staff. Below is the list of changes. Sanitized Environment: The showroom is disinfected and sanitized daily.  
• Hours of operation: Effective immediately, Berkeley Decor weekday hours will remain the same from Monday - Friday 10-5 PM but Saturday will be by appointment only.  
• Installation and delivery appointments: All installations and deliveries will be handled with extra safety precautionary measures. All staff will be wearing disposable gloves and disposable shoe covers. All tools and ladders will be disinfected daily.
• Consultations/design appointments: All in-home consultations appointments will be handled with the same safety precautionary measures as installation/delivery appointments. Prefer not to have anybody come over? No problem.  We now offer video calling/conferencing appointments.  Berkeley will utilize Facetime, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Snapchat, and Skype to do virtual consultations. We can help you with design, hardware, and fabric selections without stepping into your home.  All fabric samples will be mailed to you at no charge.  Please call/email to set up a time and date for your consultation.

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this difficult time. We will keep you posted with any changes. Please check our social media on Facebook and Instagram for updates as well. 

We will continue to monitor the situation and may update our policies as the situation evolves to keep our customers and staff healthy.

Be safe and God bless,

The Berkeley Decor Team

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#fedexoffice We recognize the trust you place in us when we deliver to your doorstep, shipping dock or place of business. That’s why I want to share an update on the actions we are taking at FedEx to keep you – and our team members – safe amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. “Safety Above All” is something we take incredibly seriously at FedEx. We are listening to recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) as we strive to help protect our customers and our team members. We are giving our team members facts about COVID-19 and reminding them to follow simple but effective steps to keep them safe such as frequent handwashing. We are disinfecting our facilities and equipment as appropriate. And as always, we are encouraging our team members to take any signs of illness seriously and seek medical attention as needed. In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, you may have wondered, “Is that package safe to touch?” The WHO has answered that question for us. They’ve made it clear that it is safe to handle a package, even if it comes from a place where the virus has been reported. As with prior disaster-related situations around the globe, we quickly jumped in to help with relief efforts as the outbreak began, working with humanitarian aid organizations to deliver critical supplies such as masks and disposable medical gloves. I am so proud to be part of a team that is always ready to extend a helping hand to communities in need. With new restrictions and limitations coming out daily to help contain the spread of the virus, we’ve created a site dedicated to the latest information on how we’re responding to this very dynamic situation. Thank you for putting your trust in us, and we remain focused on serving you.

Raj Subramaniam President and Chief Operating Officer FedEx Corporation #jackinthebox

To Our Jack in the Box Fans,

We have been closely monitoring the evolving status of COVID-19 in the U.S, and over the last few days we have seen changes implemented across the country. Effective today, we are closing all of our dining rooms. Drive-thrus remain open, and we will continue to service mobile orders, pick up, and delivery.

We continue to take precautions to ensure the health and well-being of our teams and our loyal customers. Thank you in advance for your patience and support.

Sincerely,

Lenny Comma

CEO

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#lululemon To our guests, I'm writing to let you know that we've made the decision to close all lululemon stores in North America and Europe, starting on March 16 and through March 27. Our website and mobile app remain available. We're living in extraordinary times and we're learning more about COVID-19 every day. We feel it's important for our employees and guests to be able to stay home and support their family, friends and loved ones. Taking care of our people is incredibly important to all of us at lululemon. Our employees will receive pay for all hours they were scheduled to work, and in addition, our Global Relief Pay plan will help any employees among us directly affected by this situation. We understand the benefit of health and mental well-being for all of us, now more than ever. To support our global community, we are making online yoga and meditation classes available.  We will keep you posted on any developments. Please continue to take care of yourself and your family, and we truly believe we will come out of this stronger than ever, together. Celeste Burgoyne EVP Americas + Global Guest Innovation #geico COVID-19: A message for our policyholders Dear policyholder, Amid ongoing concern about the coronavirus COVID-19, GEICO's top priority is the health, safety, and well-being of our policyholders. We understand the concern and uncertainty you may be experiencing around the evolving situation, and we're committed to being responsive and flexible to our customers' needs.  I wanted to personally reach out and share a few ways we are here to serve you during this time: • For the fastest level of service, we strongly encourage you to access your account online through the mobile app or geico.comto make policy updates, check claim status, and more. It's typically easier and faster to manage your account digitally, given that call wait times may be longer than usual. If you don't have the app yet, you can download it for free below. • If you do plan on contacting GEICO over the phone or visiting your local GEICO office in person, please know our friendly agents are standing by, as always. We have taken extra precautionary measures in response to this developing public health impact, including increased cleaning and sanitizing procedures for our local agent offices. • It is our intent to remain transparent, providing the latest information from GEICO here. • We understand that there may be instances where customers find themselves facing financial difficulties. GEICO is here to help and we encourage customers who may be impacted to reach out to discuss how we might be of assistance. Thank you for being a loyal GEICO customer. Sincerely, Todd Combs President and CEO

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#vrbo

A message from our president, Jeff Hurst

Dear traveler,

We understand the hesitation to travel in light of COVID-19. Family is our number-one priority, and that certainly includes yours. We want you to make the best decisions for your family’s safety and well-being, and know that we’ll be here when you’re ready to reconnect and decompress on a getaway together.

Homeowners and property managers who list homes on Vrbo have been encouraged to adopt more flexible cancellation policies in light of COVID-19 and offer full refunds to those who wish to cancel for concerns of their own well-being.

Everyone deserves something to look forward to, and will need a break to reconnect with one another when this stress recedes. There are fully refundable vacation options around the world, and we hope Vrbo can play a role in your family’s next great vacation, whenever that may be.

Here are some tips for handling current or future reservations:

Tips for updating vacations you already booked

Adjust your vacation from your traveler account From your account, open your upcoming reservation to adjust or cancel your dates. If you are making changes outside the cancellation policy window, please contact the owner for refund options. Reach out to the owner Homeowners and property managers who list their homes on Vrbo set and enforce their own cancellation policies. We are finding new ways to reward their flexibility and understanding during this time, and we encourage you to try to work out exceptions to their policies with them first.  Visit the Vrbo Help Page for current policies The help page has details on our policies and what they extend to. This page will be updated as new information becomes available. Contact Customer Support  As always, our customer support team is here to help with questions about your traveler service fee or instructions for changing or cancelling a reservation.

Tips for booking an upcoming vacation

Look out for flexible cancellation policies  Homeowners and property managers are highly encouraged to adopt flexible policies for cancellations and refunds during this time — you can find the owner’s refund policy on the property page. You can also hover over the Free Cancellation badge when searching for vacation homes to see how much time you have to cancel without charge. Be sure to enter the destination and dates to see the badge.  Consider adding trip insurance from Generali Adding travel insurance to your reservation may cover your non-refundable trip costs if you have to cancel because you or a companion gets sick or injured before your trip. Please review Generali’s FAQs for details.  Look for something closer to home  Opt for a vacation within driving distance instead of a long flight. Find a place where you and your family can all be just far enough from home to feel like a vacation.

As you evaluate future stays, we encourage you to review local travel recommendations and restrictions, in addition to following guidance from the World Health Organization.

Connecting with family is important — especially during times of stress and anxiety. We support and encourage your family to be strong together, wherever it is you choose to spend this time.

Stay well, and stay together, Jeff Hurst and the entire Vrbo Family #usps The Postal Service™ assures customers that normal operations are continuing while the nation deals with the COVID-19 outbreak. We are in communication with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure that customers and employees remain safe and healthy during this time. U.S. Postal Service #marriott Dear Customer,  For more than 90 years, Marriott has lived by a core value established by our founder, JW Marriott, Sr., to "take care of our guests and associates." This enduring value guides us as we face the difficult challenge of responding to the coronavirus (COVID-19), which the World Health Organization declared a pandemic on Wednesday. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the people who have been affected by this unprecedented event and we appreciate the healthcare workers, local communities, and governments around the world who are on the front line working to contain this coronavirus. Please know that we are vigilantly monitoring the COVID-19 situation around the clock and have precautions in place to ensure a healthy stay at any of our hotels across the globe.  In this climate, we know travel may not be your first thought, but I want you to know the safety of our guests and associates is our top priority. I want to thank you in advance for putting your trust in Marriott as you plan for future travels. Below is an update on what we are doing, keeping your safety top of mind. When You Book You should have confidence when you book a stay at any of our hotels across the globe that we are doing everything we can to have accommodations ready for you. We are closely monitoring the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and local health agencies for the latest developments related to COVID-19 and following the guidance of government and public health officials. We are reinforcing these agencies' recommendations on the appropriate health and safety measures with our own hotel management teams and the hotel operators in our portfolio. Before Your Stay Given the impact of COVID-19 on how we work, socialize and travel, we have been adapting our cancellation policy over the past several weeks to the evolving nature of this epidemic. Today, we are updating our policy to provide our customers the most flexibility we can offer during these challenging times. Generally speaking, for guests with existing individual reservations, including reservations with pre-paid rates that are typically more restrictive, we will allow changes or cancellation without a charge up to 24 hours prior to arrival as long as the change or cancellation is made by April 30, 2020. For guests making new individual reservations between today and April 30, 2020, we will allow those reservations to be changed or cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before a guest's scheduled arrival date. Please visit our website for the most up-to-date information and for additional details about availability and exclusions.  During Your Stay We recognize that the COVID-19 virus has required all of us to be more mindful as we go through our regular activities. Daily, our hotels around the world are working to ensure that they meet the latest guidance from the CDC and WHO on hygiene and cleaning. Our hotels' health and safety measures are designed to address a broad spectrum of viruses, including COVID-19, and cover everything from handwashing hygiene and cleaning product specifications to guest room and common area cleaning procedures. Specific steps we are taking as a company can be found on our website. For Our Marriott Bonvoy Members We are focused on how the coronavirus is impacting our Marriott Bonvoy Members and have made some important updates to our loyalty program to provide greater flexibility when planning future travel. Specifically, we have paused points expiration until August 31, 2020 allowing Members ample time to redeem their points. In addition, we have extended the expiration of suite night awards (SNAs) with an expiration date of December 31, 2020 by one year to December 31, 2021. Lastly, Members who currently have an active Free Night Award (FNA) expiring in 2020 as part of their credit card benefit, annual choice benefit, promotions or travel package will be able to use it through January 31, 2021. We understand that earning status for 2021 may also be on your mind. As the current situation is still evolving, it is too early for us to make any changes. We will keep you updated on all loyalty program changes through our Marriott Bonvoy member benefits website.  We recognize that these are unsettling times and whether you are traveling now or in the future, we want you to know that your safety and wellbeing are our first priority. Whenever you travel, we are waiting with open doors and open hearts to serve you.  Arne Sorenson President and CEO, Marriott International #keap To our awesome Keap Community, One of my favorite things about this company is the community of entrepreneurs and small businesses who work together and share our Purpose “To help small businesses succeed.”  We see amazing examples of this every day as customers, partners and employees support each other and the entrepreneurs we care so much about. I believe in the power of entrepreneurs to change the world and we believe in the spirit of entrepreneurship.  That spirit is more important today than ever before.  This company and community are grounded in that spirit. As the world continues to feel the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19), I’m rallying our company To Help Small Businesses Succeed.  I’m inviting our partners to join the cause. And I’m calling on entrepreneurs everywhere to ignite their entrepreneurial spirit, overcome the fear and focus on serving their customers and communities.  We know that when people apply the entrepreneurial spirit, they overcome challenges and make a difference for their customers, employees and communities. Here at Keap, we take our Purpose very seriously and we want to do all we can to help small businesses succeed.  That’s why we’re announcing the following programs. Starting next week: The creation of the $100,000 “Keep Going Fund” for small businesses hit hardest by the Coronavirus who need a hand.  Customers and non-customers alike can apply for a $500 “Keep Going Grant” to help them through their struggles.  In addition to providing the $500, we will give the entrepreneur a Growth Plan to help them weather the storm and get back on track.  The grant application will be available online next week. Free daily “Office Hours” with our experts.  Each weekday from 6:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. PDT, our customers can call in on a first-come, first-served basis to get expert help with their strategy and execution as they use our industry-leading small business automation software to do more with less.  Learn more here.  Additional, free expert coaching for new customers.  For every customer who signs up with Keap Pro, we’ll comp an extra hour of free coaching work.  And for every new Infusionsoft customer, we’ll comp three extra hours of free coaching work. Although there is much uncertainty in the world, small businesses need automation more than ever.  We’re here to help. Starting March 23rd: Free daily educational webinars to help small businesses Conquer the Chaos.  For nearly 20 years we’ve been teaching entrepreneurs how to conquer the chaos and grow.  We created a proven method many years ago that helps small businesses get organized and create a plan to grow their businesses.  We’re giving this away, free of charge, to any and all small businesses - no lead generation form to fill out, no sales pitches at the end, just a free, proven methodology to help your business succeed. Free daily “Automation Hour” for our customers.  We know automation is the great game-changer for small businesses.  Now is the time for entrepreneurs to work ON their business and put organization, follow-up and automation to work for them.  One of our experts will be joined by one of our partners each weekday to conduct a workshop on implementing automation that will help you succeed. Rest assured, we are taking all precautions to safeguard our Keapers by following the recommendations of health experts.  Many of our Keapers are working from home, but we will continue to be here to serve you. Our 24x7 phone and chat support team are here to help.  Our weekly product updates and monthly product releases will consistently roll out. And we are doubling down by rallying the company and the community to help small businesses succeed with these new programs we’re announcing today. As part of our Core Values at Keap, we say all the time “We face challenges with optimism.”  I know this amazing Keap Community will do just that as we work together to help small businesses succeed. Keep going, keep serving and keep growing. Clate #cirro Customer update: COVID-19 As we all experience challenging circumstances surrounding the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), we wanted to share with our customers how we’re supporting the social distancing recommendations. •   Our Customer Care agents are available via phone or chat. You may reach out to them with any questions or billing concerns during this time. •   My Cirro is always available to pay your bill, view your usage and access your account tools. Internally, we’ve shared the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines with our employees, reinforced prevention techniques and restricted employee travel. As we monitor the spread of the virus and the guidelines that will help to keep us all safe, we will continue to keep you informed. And of course, we’re here to help with any account assistance you may need during this time. #tomthumb To our valued customers and neighbors,  At Albertsons Companies, we know the important roles our store and pharmacy play in your life, and we are grateful for the trust you put in us for your needs.  As the situation around Coronavirus has developed, we have been and will continue to monitor all information locally, nationally and globally so we can plan how best to serve you.  I wanted to take a moment to share some of the things our team is doing:  • Running Clean Stores and Pharmacies.  We have stepped up how often we clean and disinfect all departments, restrooms, and other high-touch points of the store, like checkstands and service counters.  Cart wipes and hand sanitizer stations have been installed in key locations within the stores for your convenience, too.  As always, we encourage customers to wash their fresh and packaged produce before consuming at home. • In-Stock Items.  In many markets, we are asking customers to respect quantity limits of select, high-demand items (like hand sanitizers and household cleaners) to help ensure more of our neighbors can find the products they need.  We’re refilling high-demand products as quickly as we can. • Taking Care of Our Team.  All of our associates are encouraged to follow the CDC’s recommendations to keep themselves and their loved ones healthy.  We are encouraging our associates to stay home when they feel ill, and are working with our Human Resources team to ensure that every member of our team who faces a crisis can have peace of mind that we will help them get through it.  Please help us keep our store associates and community safe by considering use of our Grocery Delivery or Drive Up & Go services if you have a fever or flu symptoms such as cough or shortness of breath. • Planning for Local Needs.  Our team is also planning to make sure we can serve you if your community becomes impacted in a significant way.  From a single case to local community outbreaks or situations, we have plans to keep our stores and pharmacies open and serving our communities. • Shopping for You.  Our Grocery Delivery, Pharmacy Delivery, and Drive Up & Go services are still available to you.  You can find more information at your store’s website www.tomthumb.com.  Our E-commerce team is following enhanced sanitization protocols for all of their equipment, and washing their hands and using hand sanitizer before every order.  We’ve created “Contact Free” delivery procedures for our team and changed our signature processes so that our delivery drivers can sign for you when delivering your order, after completing an ID check, if necessary.  Please use our “Contact Free” procedures if you or a household member has a fever or flu symptoms. • Taking Care of You.  Your health is important to us.  Just as our team continues to follow the CDC’s guidance on staying healthy, we encourage you to do so, too.  And don’t forget that our pharmacists are also available to help answer questions you might have or to offer advice for keeping you and your families healthy year-round. We know your grocery store and local pharmacy are central to the community.  It is a space we share every day.  Maintaining your trust is a responsibility we all take very seriously.  On behalf of our entire team, thank you for the opportunity to serve you and your community. Vivek Sankaran President & CEO, Albertsons Companies #wordstream Today you may be working from home, changing your business game plan, or trying to create a sense of normalcy as the world navigates this strange time. The health and safety of our community, customers, and digital family, is an absolute priority for WordStream.  One thing that will never falter is WordStream's embodiment of our core values. In the spirit of transparency, our team recently put together a short blog post about how SMBs are adapting their digital game plan to cope during the COVID-19 pandemic: How the Coronavirus is Affecting Small Businesses & Marketers As always, WordStream strives to be a resource for small business owners, agencies, and marketers of all types. Our team will continue to send you content and support to help you navigate digital advertising during this time. We will continue to be transparent and provide updates for as long as the COVID-19 outbreak affects businesses like yours. Please don't hesitate to use WordStream as a resource during these uncertain times. Reach out - now more than ever we should embrace digital connection. Howard Kogan CEO, WordStream #mcdonalds Dear Customer, Along with you, we are closely watching the impact COVID-19 is having on our local communities. I am immensely proud of how our franchisee, suppliers and company partners have mobilized quickly to protect the well-being of our employees and customers, which is our number one priority.  We recognize many of you rely on us to provide food and beverage choices for you and your families. We take that responsibility very seriously. We have some of the highest standards of cleanliness and are closely working with national and local government and health authorities to ensure we are taking all the right steps.  In partnership with our franchisees, we are implementing additional precautionary measures to safeguard the well-being of our customers, crew and communities: Encouraging all restaurants to move to Drive-Thru, Delivery and Walk-In Take-Out Encouraging restaurants to close down all dine-in seating, including suspending the use of self-service beverage bars and kiosks Supplying sanitizer for employees and customers who visit our restaurants Encouraging employees to wash hands even more frequently than normal Increasing surface cleaning and sanitizing across the restaurant in high-impact areas Closing all Play Place attractions McDonald’s has always been a home base for our communities. With 14,000+ restaurants across the country, we have a long legacy of being a dependable neighbor in times of need. Through this unprecedented and challenging time for families and individuals, McDonald’s will do our part to continue to be a place people can count on to deliver a familiar, comforting and delicious experience, no matter where they are.  Thank you for your patience and loyalty during this time and always. #eventbrite Dear Event Creator Community,  The impacts of COVID-19 on our creator community and fellow attendees has been vast. Our thoughts are with all of you and we hope you’re safe and healthy. We are reminded of just how critical it is to support one another during these challenging times. We are in awe of the many ways individuals have rallied to bolster unity and understanding.  Here are a few interesting ways people are coming together (virtually): Purchasing gift certificates to local restaurants, record stores, and brick & mortar retailers to provide an alternative revenue stream  Hosting virtual happy hours with friends and family to bolster human connection Buying tickets to future community events to show support for the greater community Offering grocery store runs or meal delivery to the elderly and immunocompromised  Contributing financially to food banks for children who have lost access to daily meals during school closures  Donating to artists, performers, and venues to show solidarity and continue the celebration of the arts   Creating wishlists for direct delivery to non-profit organizations and shelters that cannot currently receive in-person donations Providing online attendance options for classes, concerts, church services and more to connect communities to meaningful experiences  Eventbrite understands the complexity of this situation and is committed to keeping you informed and empowered. We have created a repository of all relevant resources to help you make informed decisions regarding your events moving forward. We will also continue to provide inspiration like our article on How to Host an Online Event or Webinar That Live Event Attendees Will Love on our blog.  We acknowledge the powerful, positive effect virtual and live experiences provide and remain poised to provide assistance and support when you need it. Stay safe, get involved where you can and know that we’re excited to connect as soon as conditions improve.   Sincerely,  Nicole Brambila GM - North America #jdrf Dear JDRF Supporter, At JDRF, our top priority is — and always has been — the health and well-being of the type 1 diabetes (T1D) community. To safeguard our community during the COVID-19 pandemic, we recently postponed all in-person gatherings through April 19, or replaced them with virtual events. Today, I am reaching out to let you know that JDRF is taking an even bolder step to protect the health and safety of our community by not holding any in-person events through June 30. We will instead reimagine these events, taking a variety of approaches to share progress and engage with each other through creative and virtual gatherings. The weeks and months ahead will be unique and challenging, but are also filled with opportunity. Together with all of you, our staff and volunteers, we will drive our mission forward. Just this past weekend, one of our chapters successfully turned their JDRF One Walk® into an exciting and creative virtual event. Kick-off speakers provided inspiring videos and walkers shared videos and photos. The virtual event exceeded — yes, exceeded — the chapter’s fundraising goals. This is just an early example of the spirit of this community. We never shrink in the face of a challenge. And, we won’t now. Nothing is more important to us than your safety. We are continually updating the T1D community through our website, JDRF.org, sharing information on how to stay safe, and how to best manage T1D if you do develop this or any other serious virus. As we move forward together during this challenging time, I believe we will emerge as a stronger community — and will be closer than ever to achieving our mission to create a world without T1D. Aaron J. Kowalski, Ph.D. JDRF, President Chief Executive Officer #juicebar An Note To Our Guests About Coronavirus COVID-19 At Juice Bar, wellness is the cornerstone of our work and our commitment to you. To that end, we continue to monitor the rapidly evolving Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and want to provide you with a short update on the precautions we are taking to keep you - and our crew - safe. - All staff are wearing gloves at ALL times, changing gloves often, and washing hands often. - We have increased the frequency with which we clean and disinfect touched objects and surfaces, including screens, tables, chairs, bathrooms, and door handles. - We are taking a break from paper menus to reduce the spread of germs. (Don't worry: you can still rely on hanging menus for guidance.) Your health, and the health of our team, are of the utmost importance; and we encourage everyone to play it safe. We are reminding crew members to stay home unless they feel completely healthy.  As always, we are committed to safe food handling and clean restaurants; and we hope you visit us with confidence in the coming days and weeks.  Be well, Your Juice Bar crew #starbucks OUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY – NAVIGATING THROUGH COVID-19 The world is grappling with an issue of enormous scale and human impact, and our hearts go out to all who have been affected by the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19).  At Starbucks, we believe it is our role and responsibility during this time to prioritize two things: the health and well-being of our customers and partners while also playing a constructive role in supporting local health officials and government leaders as they work to contain the virus. Through that lens, we will continue to make decisions with vigilance and courage informed by the latest science-based information and guided by Our Mission and Values.  I wanted to personally reach out to you and provide an update on the actions that Starbucks is taking to help prevent the spread of the virus and support the health and well-being of our customers, our partners (employees) and our communities.  You may be aware that over the last few weeks we have taken a series of precautionary steps in response to this developing public health impact, including increased cleaning and sanitizing procedures for our stores. We have also prepared our stores to respond quickly to any emerging situation, leveraging the considerable insights we’ve gained from our experience in China, where we continue to see encouraging signs of recovery with over 90% of stores reopened.  We appreciate your understanding that, as a customer, your Starbucks Experience may look different as we navigate through this time together. While we are currently maintaining regular operations across the U.S. and Canada, our stores are prepared to modify operations with options that still allow us to serve you your favorite beverage and food. This means that as we navigate this dynamic situation community-by-community and store-by-store, we may adapt the store experience by limiting seating to improve social distancing, enable mobile order-only scenarios for pickup via the Starbucks App or delivery via Uber Eats, or in some cases only the Drive Thru will be open. As a last resort, we will close a store if we feel it is in the best interest of our customers and partners, or if we are directed to do so by government authorities. In any such situation, we expect store disruption to be temporary.  I want to also thank you for supporting our Starbucks partners who proudly wear the green apron. We have a long-standing history of caring for our partners, recognizing they are the heartbeat of Starbucks. That is why, as we navigate this dynamic situation, in addition to our sick leave benefit and mental health offerings, we are also expanding catastrophe pay so that partners do not need to feel like they need to choose between their health and their work.  Thank you for being a loyal customer. It is our intent to remain transparent, providing the latest information from Starbucks here.  Starbucks resilience is owed to our unwavering Mission to inspire and nurture the human spirit - one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.  We are privileged to serve you and your community and look forward to seeing you soon.  Regards, Kevin Johnson ceo, Starbucks #santander CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) Santander Consumer USA cares about the health of you and your family We are committed to doing everything we can to help our customers in our communities that might be affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). First and foremost, yours and your family’s health are our primary concern. We sincerely hope you and your loved ones are able to avoid the effects of this virus. Please reach out to us if you need assistance related to your account. Our customer service team is standing by to review your account and potential options to help during this time. Santander Consumer USA can be reached by phone at 888-222-4227. Our thoughts are with everyone affected directly by the Coronavirus, as well as those who have friends and family affected. Reminders on Staying Healthy We are taking steps at Santander Consumer USA to stem the impact on our operations. It’s important we all take precautions to prevent the spread of germs during this outbreak. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone should: • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty. • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. • Stay home when you are sick. • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. Help from the CDC Visit the CDC website for more information on Coronavirus, including what you should know about the virus, prevention and symptoms, as well as situation updates in the U.S. and worldwide. #google Protecting our extended workforce and the community Monday, March 16, 2020 Today, as the unprecedented COVID-19 situation continues, Google outlined how it’s reducing the need for people to come into its offices while ensuring that its products continue to operate for everyone. We are committed to keeping the YouTube community informed about our actions related to COVID-19 in a dedicated location in our help center. Here is our update from last week; below is some more information about the reduction of in-office staffing as it relates to YouTube: We have teams at YouTube, as well as partner companies, that help us support and protect the YouTube community—from people who respond to user and creator questions, to reviewers who evaluate videos for possible policy violations. These teams and companies are staffed by thousands of people dedicated to helping users and creators. As the coronavirus response evolves, we are taking the steps needed to prioritize the well-being of our employees, our extended workforce, and the communities where they live, including reducing in-office staffing in certain sites. Our Community Guidelines enforcement today is based on a combination of people and technology: Machine learning helps detect potentially harmful content and then sends it to human reviewers for assessment. As a result of the new measures we’re taking, we will temporarily start relying more on technology to help with some of the work normally done by reviewers. This means automated systems will start removing some content without human review, so we can continue to act quickly to remove violative content and protect our ecosystem, while we have workplace protections in place. As we do this, users and creators may see increased video removals, including some videos that may not violate policies. We won’t issue strikes on this content except in cases where we have high confidence that it’s violative. If creators think that their content was removed in error, they can appeal the decision and our teams will take a look. However, note that our workforce precautions will also result in delayed appeal reviews. We’ll also be more cautious about what content gets promoted, including livestreams. In some cases, unreviewed content may not be available via search, on the homepage, or in recommendations. All eligible creators will still be able to monetize videos and this does not change the updates on monetization of coronavirus-related videos we shared last week. And we’ll continue to enforce our policies regarding coronavirus content, including removing videos that discourage people from seeking medical treatment or claim harmful substances have health benefits. The situation with coronavirus continues to change day by day, and we’ll continue to take the steps needed to protect our teams and the communities where they live. This may affect additional types of YouTube user and creator support and reviews, such as applications for the YouTube partner program or responses on social media. To stay up-to-date on any changes in our services—and our broader response to the coronavirus—continue to check the help center. We recognize this may be a disruption for users and creators, but know this is the right thing to do for the people who work to keep YouTube safe and for the broader community. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we take these steps during this challenging time. #Interabangbooks Dear Interabang friends and readers, Today, heeding the calls of public health officials at national, state, and local levels, we announce the decision to curtail in-store shopping at Interabang Books from Friday forward, for an indefinite number of weeks. This change is a crucial step in being a good global citizen, but as our supporters surely realize, it is not a change we take lightly.  Fortunately, a great deal is not changing:  You can order online 24/7 at www.interabangbooks.com or call 214-484-4289 to place a phone order during business hours, as always. Your books can be mailed anywhere in the USA (now free of charge with code FREESHIP).  You can also request curbside pickup of your book orders, a new service: When your orders come in, we will call you confirming their arrival and payment, then arrange to meet your car as you drive up to the bookstore.  Going forward, you can shop within the store by appointment, and also through our concierge service: Our booksellers are ready to make recommendations or choices to help find reading (or find gifts) for those staying close to home. Email info@interabangbooks.com or call 214-484-4289 so we can assist you. We look forward to it! We will still be on hand at the store. As you know, in order to protect everyone’s health during the pandemic, Interabang has already been rescheduling author appearances and other gatherings set for the weeks ahead. Last week we implemented protocols to sanitize surfaces as well as to observe “social distancing.” Expert guidance has become more far-reaching, however. To safeguard our community and our customers, we must modify the bookstore’s daily operations. You will see these changes (including curtailed in-store shopping) beginning on Friday, although all the services described above are available to you now, without delay. If you wish to come by Wednesday or Thursday and select some books, puzzles, games, or gifts in person as you have customarily done, we welcome you. We would love to see you. We look forward to providing you with reading, comfort, and pleasant diversion as we see each other through an event without precedent in our lifetime. Your friends at Interabang Books #brighteyesvision Bright Eyes Vision is committed to the health and safety of our patients, staff, and community. We sincerely hope you, your friends and family are healthy during these stressful times. We want to inform you on actions we are taking to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 at Bright Eyes Vision. We kindly ask all patients to enter our office alone unless you are under the age of 18 or need assistance. We are limiting the number of individuals in our office at one time to 10. Cleanliness is a top priority of our practice and we frequently sanitize all areas. We are offering curbside pick up for your eyewear and contact lens orders. Simply call or text us (214-823-6470) and we'll meet you at your car! If you have a fever, feel ill, have a cough, have travelled internationally in the last 14 days, are over the age of 65 or are immuno-compromised, please text or call us and we will reschedule your visit. Thank you for trusting your eye health and vision to us at Bright Eyes Vision.  -Dr. Tran, Dr. Le, and the Bright Eyes Vision team To be continued...