Earlier this week, the City of Lynwood announced that one of its own employees, a member of the Department of Public Works, tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, the City Manager Jose Ometeotl and his staff have worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of fellow employees and the public as well as maintain City services.
First, upon learning about the positive test, the City took the following actions:
– Placed the entire Public Works Department on leave to isolate for 14 days.
– Deep cleaned and sanitized the Public Works building and vehicles so employees can be assured they are returning to a safe environment.
– Requested testing for key department staff members in isolation. Unfortunately, there are so few tests, that request was denied, meaning all department staff members will stay at home.
Second, as the entire Public Works department is isolated, the City arranged to keep vital City services intact, including:
– Secured the services of Los Angeles County to work on any Public Works emergencies.
– Contacted City contractors to a make sure current projects continue.
As the number of positive COVID-19 cases grow, cities across the region will face the same situation we are facing now. The City of Lynwood is putting in place more steps to ensure that we will be ready for the next emergency.
Luckily, no other Public Works employee is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms as of today. We look forward to the department’s return at the end of the isolation period. We also wish a speedy recovery to our employee.
Thank you for your patience and understanding during this unprecedented time.
#WeAreLynwood