A message to AARP's volunteers

AARP values our volunteers and wants you to be well-informed about steps that can be taken to keep you and others in your community as safe as possible from the COVID-19 coronavirus.

AARP is closely monitoring federal, state and local health agencies' guidance regarding the COVID-19 coronavirus situation, which is having an impact on AARP's in-person events in communities. AARP is taking steps to do our part to limit the spread of the virus and we are mindful of the guidance to limit gatherings to ten people or less. Effective immediately, all in-person AARP-sponsored events (external and internal) are cancelled until May 1, 2020.

If a volunteer:

• Is not feeling well or has any reason for concern (i.e. age, underlying health condition or any other matter), they should stay home.
• If a volunteer has tested positive for COVID-19 or come into contact with someone who has COVID-19, please follow all guidance from state and local health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about self-quarantine measures. These efforts may also include identifying anyone with whom there was contact.
• If a volunteer has tested positive for COVID-19 or come into contact with someone who is known to have COVID-19 AND has had direct contact with an AARP employee, please contact Megan Hookey, Vice President, Office of Volunteer Engagement at mhookey@aarp.org or 202-434-2385. The identity of the volunteer will be kept confidential.

All are encouraged to follow these important steps recommended by the CDC to help with prevention:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds
• When needed, use alcohol based sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol
• Avoid close contact with individuals who are sick Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, and then immediate discard it
• Practice social distancing, defined as avoiding crowded gatherings and keeping a distance of approximately six-feet from others when possible
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects, shared spaces and surfaces (office equipment included)

For more on COVID-19, including symptoms, additional prevention tips and important travel information, please visit: www.cdc.gov, and www.aarp.org/coronavirus is another resource to draw upon.

To help you stay connected, AARP has just announced a weekly, live Coronavirus Information Tele-Town Hall on Thursdays at 1 pm (ET). Please join the Thursday, March 19 call where government officials will answer your questions about avoiding coronavirus scams and providing resources for family caregivers. To join the live event, please call: 855-274-9507.

Though we are all asked to abide by social distancing guidelines, we can use technology to stay connected through tools like town-hall calls and the Volunteer Portal. We can also draw upon tried-and-true acts of kindness like sending notes and placing calls to neighbors and loved ones.

Please stay safe and keep up the handwashing!