Coronavirus In Wilmington- Week In Review

From the City of Wilmington:

April 3, 2020

A weekly roundup of City government news related to the coronavirus

Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki today presented the first in a series of weekly summaries of government-related news to provide City residents and businesses with information about government efforts to manage the evolving COVID-19 crisis.

“Whether it’s information about government employees who test positive or negative for the virus, or changes in government programs and services, if the information requires immediate distribution, we will do so as we always have,” said the Mayor. “But we needed a more consistent way to update everyone, placing pertinent information that may accumulate over a few days into one news announcement to make it easier for the public to absorb it. Whether we are at work or isolating at home, there is a great deal of information coming our way each day and it’s a lot to digest. I hope our weekly Friday summary will help keep the information more orderly and ensure that City residents and businesses don’t miss any of the news.”

The Mayor said 90 employees thus far have been affected in a variety of ways by the coronavirus over the past few weeks. They have either been tested for the virus, have been in close contact with someone such as a family member who has the virus or is exhibiting symptoms, or are in isolation or taking precautions for other reasons. Of the 90 employees, 32 have tested negative for COVID-19 and eight have tested positive. 15 other employees have been tested but have not received their results yet. 29 employees of the 90 have not been tested and have no symptoms. Mayor Purzycki said once an employee has any connection to COVID-19, they are either removed from the workplace, are tested, or are in self-isolation or are self-monitoring. In consultation with the State Public Health Division, all precautions are taken to clean the workspace and keep other employees safe. Everything being done, said the Mayor, is to slow the spread of the virus.

“As the daily struggle with COVID-19 evolves, City government is evolving as far as what we are learning about this virus and what additional steps we can take with available resources to protect our employees, their families, and others with whom they interact,” said Mayor Purzycki. “Our government is open, and our employees are working hard to keep City services operating as normally as possible. We appreciate their efforts and we will continue to do everything we can to keep them safe.”

The Mayor offered other useful information from this week’s COVID-19 summary, including:

How to Access City Services
All City government buildings are closed to the public, but City services and information are available by phone and internet only, as well as a document drop-off location in the lobby of Redding Government Building. The Mayor said this was done on March 23 to protect the public and City employees by reducing in-person interactions until the coronavirus threat eases. Mayor Purzycki said the public has several options for conducting business with City government, which include:

• Calling 302.576.2620 for all City inquiries, except for Public Works and Licenses and Inspections
• Calling 302.576.3878 for all inquiries related to Public Works
• Calling 302.576.3030 for all inquiries related to Licenses and Inspections
• Using a dropbox in the Redding Building lobby to make a payment for water/sewer, parking tickets, property taxes, and wage taxes
• Visiting https://www.wilmingtonde.gov/residents/online-payments to make an online payment
• Using the dropbox in the Redding Building lobby to deposit a completed business license application or L&I permit application, both of which are available in the lobby. A representative will contact you to process your request and arrange for you to receive the proper paperwork and to make payment if needed
• Visiting www.WilmingtonDE.gov for business license applications from the Finance Department and L&I permit applications

City Services and Programs that are Suspended Indefinitely

• sheriff sales
• water disconnections for delinquencies
• neighborhood street cleaning that was to begin April 1 so residents, many of whom are working from home, do not have to move their vehicles to accommodate street cleaning equipment
• special trash pickups
• ticketing, booting and towing except for serious infractions such as blocking fire hydrants, intersections, and driveways
• parking enforcement for metered parking as well as limited-time parking in neighborhoods
• the April 15 filing for net profits taxes is delayed until July 15

Don’t Flush Sanitation/Baby Wipes and Other Heavier Paper Materials in the Toilet
The Public Works Department is also asking residents not to flush sanitation wipes and other heavier paper materials down the toilet, even if the package states that they are flushable. While the concern about “flushable” wipes is not new to wastewater facilities, there is an increased risk to the City’s system due to the current shortage of toilet paper. Please pay extra attention to items you are flushing and don’t flush anything other than toilet paper, whether being used for personal hygiene purposes or for wiping and cleaning surfaces. Items that should not be flushed down sewer lines include:

• Paper towels
• Napkins
• Wet wipes/baby wipes
• Facial tissues

WPD Request Regarding 9-1-1
The Wilmington Police Department is asking the public to use 9-1-1 for emergencies only, and not for non-emergency questions related to the coronavirus.

Daily Meal Distribution and Respite for the Homeless

• The City’s daily distribution of meals to children and teenagers totals more than 30,000 meals so far at 12 locations around the City.
• Two respite locations for homeless individuals are open at the parking lot of Sts. Andrew and Matthew on Orange Street between 7th and 8th Streets, and at the St. Patrick’s Center on 14th Street between King and French Streets.

This press release was produced by the City of Wilmington. The views expressed here are the author’s own.