Stark County Government: Stark County Health Department Launches COVID-19 Business Safety Initiative

Press release from the Stark County Government:

September 30, 2021

(Jackson Twp., OH) – The Stark County Health Department is launching the COVID-19 Business Safety Initiative which gives businesses (i.e. small businesses, faith-based organizations, non-profit organizations, retail stores, schools) the opportunity to apply for items that may help to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 among their employees and customers. The application process opens on October 1st and goes through the end of the month. Future application periods will be announced on our website and social media. Those interested should visit www.starkhealth.org and look for the COVID-19 Business Safety Initiative section on the homepage.

“We received funding from the Community Development Block Grant through the Stark County Board of Commissioners,” said Health Commissioner Kirkland Norris, RS, MPH. “This funding is to support the department’s COVID-19 response activities benefitting low-to-moderate-income persons throughout the villages, townships, and cities within its jurisdiction. The dollars will help with disease investigation, vaccination accessibility and distribution, and safety protocols for local businesses.”

The business must have on-site staff and/or serve customers in-person and be located in a low-to-moderate income area in order to qualify. A low-income area is considered to be a median family income of less than 50 percent of that community’s median income. A moderate-income area means that the median family income is at least 50 percent and less than 80 percent of that community’s median income. Those businesses applying would be able to choose from items like automatic hand sanitizing dispensers, plexiglass barriers, disinfectant spray units, etc. or ideas can be submitted that the business believes could make their space safer for employees and customers.

The process for application is simple: 1. Locate the business to see if it is located in the qualified area. 2. Fill out the short application that asks for the business' safety needs. 3. Once the application has been reviewed, the department’s compliance officer will perform a site visit. 4. Upon approval of the application, the department will setup the process for distribution of the item(s). Some exceptions may apply to organizations but the determination will be made after the application is submitted. An important reminder for any businesses that are applying, they may not have received other business assistance from other sources such as federal, state, county and/or Small Business Administration funds for the same type of assistance or items.
“We may not be able to fund everyone’s specific request but we hope to help our businesses and organizations that serve our community daily,” said Norris.

Residents wanting to schedule an appointment for their COVID-19 vaccine (those 12 years of age and older) can schedule through ArmorVax.com and on the mobile app for Apple and Android devices. Those that are minors, 12 to 17 year old’s, must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian to their vaccine appointment. The parent or legal guardian must sign a consent form upon checking in at the clinics. However, those that do not have access to a computer, internet or who have difficulty using ArmorVax, may still call COVID-19 Hotline at 330.451.1681 to schedule an appointment.

This press release was produced by the Stark County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.