After months of mask wearing and social distancing, it’s probably safe to say all association residents and their guests would like to get back to the daily island life we enjoyed just a few months ago. We expected to take the next step forward in August, when Governor Ige announced lifting the quarantine for transpacific arrivals, with a negative COVID-19 test. Based on dramatically rising COVID-19 numbers on the mainland, that plan has been deferred until at least September.

Maui County has had a high degree of COVID-19 safety compliance, resulting low COVID-19 cases and fatalities, but the risk of infection from outside the community is strong. Community associations have been facing the challenge of how and whether to safely reopen common areas and recreational facilities, and what to do when guests arrive. The Community Associations Institute has prepared this document to help community association board members, managers, and owners decide how to safely and effectively operate in a the new reality of COVID-19. The intent is ensuring healthy communities while safeguarding business resources and reducing risk. This guidance follows CDC guidelines.

While some details may not pertain to every homeowner’s association in Maui County, the comprehensive guide covers:

  • Communicating regularly and appropriately
  • Protecting common areas
  • Preventing the spread in pools and hot tubs
  • Maintaining safe business operations

The information is intended for general education purposes, and not legal advice.

To access the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 CDC guidelines,visit www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.

Communicating Regularly and Appropriately

Provide timely updates on closings and reopenings and promote safe behaviors. Distribute CDC fact sheets, use social media and post flyers that describe:

  • COVID-19 symptoms
  • How to stop the spread of germs
  • How to wash hands effectively
  • What to do if a person experiences symptoms
  • How your facility is helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19
  • How additional information will be shared and where to direct questions
  • How staff and residents can cope and manage stress

Encourage staff and residents to prepare and take action to protect themselves.

  • Consider any special needs or accommodations for particularly vulnerable individuals, such as the elderly or those with
    pre-existing or chronic medical conditions
  • Encourage residents with underlying medical conditions to be extra vigilant
  • Consider any special communications and assistance needs of your staff and residents
  • Notify staff and residents of any facility or common area closures
  • Notify local health authorities of any known COVID-19 cases

Take extra care if a resident or employee is suspected of having or has a confirmed case of COVID-19

  • Work with the local health department to notify others in the community if a resident suspects or has a confirmed case
    of COVID-19. However, a resident does not have to notify the community if they are sick.
  • Remember to maintain the confidentiality of the sick person as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act
    (ADA) and other applicable laws.
  • Encourage the resident to seek advice by telephone or videoconference from a healthcare provider to determine
    whether medical evaluation is needed.
  • Encourage any resident with COVID-19 symptoms, their roommates, and close contacts to self-isolate and limit their
    use of shared spaces, i.e., common areas, as much as possible.
  • Limit close contact with residents who have suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
    Community association leaders should regularly communicate the status of common area and amenity reopening,
    closing, and other changes in the community as a result of COVID-19.

Protecting Common Areas

The CDC created specific guidance to help owners, administrators, or operators work together with residents, staff,
and public health officials to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in shared (also called “congregate”) housing facilities,
including apartments and condominiums. Multiple strategies are available to help encourage and maintain social
distancing in common areas.

Cancel or Postpone In-Person Activities and Events

  • Offer alternative methods for activities and social interaction, such as online meetings
  • If you must convene an in-person event, make sure that social distancing can be maintained in shared rooms by
    arranging chairs and tables so that attendees will be at least 6 feet apart
  • Adhere to state gathering criteria, including mask wearing

Minimize Traffic in Enclosed Spaces

  • Designate one-directional traffic in hallways and stairwells, if possible
  • Limit elevator use to one person or family at a time

Provide Soap, Hand Sanitizers,Disinfectant Wipes, Cleaning Supplies, Tissue and Trash Receptacles

Ensure Adequate Ventilation and Air Flow in Shared Rooms

  • Work with maintenance staff or HVAC experts to determine if the ventilation system can be modified to increase
    ventilation rates or the percentage of outdoor air that circulates into the system

Clean and Disinfect All Shared Area and Frequently Touched Surfaces

  • Use EPA-registered disinfectants more than once a day if possible
  • Follow CDC information on cleaning and disinfecting public spaces

Implement Extra Precautions in Laundry Rooms, Activity Rooms and Exercise Facilities

  • Maintain access and adequate supplies
  • Limit the number of people allowed at one time so that everyone can stay at least 6 feet apart
  • Require face masks and disposable gloves
  • Provide soap for washing hands and household cleaners or EPA-registered disinfectants for cleaning and disinfecting
    buttons, knobs, and handles of laundry machines, laundry baskets, and shared laundry items
  • Post guidelines for doing laundry, such as washing instructions and handling of dirty laundry

Activity Rooms and Exercise Facilities

  • Consider closing or limiting access
  • Limit the number of people allowed at one time so that everyone can stay at least 6 feet apart If these areas
    remain open
  • Require disposable gloves and face masks
  • Provide soap for washing hands and household cleaners or EPA-registered disinfectants for cleaning and disinfecting
    light switches, knobs, and handles
  • Post guidelines for exercise and other equipment

Playgrounds 

  • Consider keeping closed or preventing access to certain elements that are difficult to clean and disinfect
  • Limit the number of people allowed at one time so that everyone can stay at least 6 feet apart
  • Limit playground use to residents
  • Avoid group events
  • Stagger use
  • Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces between use or at least daily
  • Encourage all parents and children to wash their hands often, and cover their coughs and sneezes
  • Ask parents to bring and use their own disinfectant supplies when they’re done playing
  • Ask parents to consider if their children are capable of staying at least 6 feet apart from others
  • Encourage the use of face masks for children over the age of 2
  • Maintain restrooms that remain open and ensure they have functional toilets, clean and disinfected surfaces, and
    handwashing supplies
  • Educate parents and children to stay home if they have symptoms of COVID-19, have tested positive for COVID-19, or
    were exposed to someone with COVID-19 within the past 14 days and when they can safely end their home isolation
  • Post information to promote everyday preventive actions

Protecting Pools and Hot Tubs

  • Consider closing pools and hot tubs or limiting access to essential activities only, such as water therapy
  • Limit aquatic venue use to only staff and residents
  • Properly operate, maintain, and disinfect (with chlorine or bromine) pools and hot tubs
  • Limit the number of people allowed in locker rooms at one time so that everyone can stay at least 6 feet apart
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces, such as locker handles, light switches, knobs, countertops, benches, etc., daily if not
    more oftenz Consult the company or engineer that designed the aquatic venue before altering aquatic features such as slides and
    structures designed for climbing or playing
  • Designate a staff member to be your facility’s point person for responding to COVID-19 concerns
  • Avoid group events, gatherings, or meetings both in and out of the water. Exceptions to social distancing guidance
    include anyone rescuing a distressed swimmer, providing first aid, or performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, with or
    without an automated external defibrillator, or evacuating a pool area during an emergency.
  • If planned events must be conducted, stagger drop-off and pick-up times as much as possible to maintain distance
    of at least 6 feet between people
  • Ask parents to consider if their children are capable of staying at least 6 feet apart from others
  • Put systems in place so that staff, patrons, and swimmers can report if they have symptoms of COVID-19, a positive
    test for COVID-19, or were exposed to someone with COVID-19 within the past 14 days
  • Notify local health authorities of any suspected or known COVID-19 cases
  • Notify staff, patrons, and swimmers (as feasible) of potential COVID-19 exposures while maintaining confidentiality in
    accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • Notify staff, patrons, and swimmers of pool closures

Maintaining Safe Business Operations

  • To maintain safe operations, community associations, management companies, and business partners should review
    CDC guidance regularly and consider the following:
  • Develop Flexible PoliciesImplement sick leave (time off) policies and practices that are flexible and nonpunitive
  • Develop return-to-work policies aligned with CDC’s criteria to discontinue home isolation
  • Offer options, such as telework or modified job responsibilities, that reduce the risk of infections to vulnerable staff,
    i.e., anyone who has a pre-existing or chronic medical condition
  • Develop a backup staffing plan

Train and Educate

  • Learn to recognize signs and symptoms of infection
  • Communicate safety protocols
  • Conduct daily staff health checks (for example, temperature screening or symptom checking). Ensure safe and
    respectful implementation that is aligned with any applicable privacy laws and regulations. Consider using examples
    of screening methods in CDC’s General Business FAQs as a guide.
  • Conduct virtual training or ensure that social distancing is maintained during in-person training
  • Identify a list of health facilities where staff with COVID-19 can receive treatment

Protect

  • Encourage social distancing between staff and residents, i.e., 6 feet apart
  • Supply staff with face masks and gloves, and encourage their use when appropriate
  • Use physical barriers at desks where staff regularly interact with residents
  • Follow guidance and directives on community gatherings from state and local authorities
  • Limit the presence of nonessential persons and visitors in shared areas
  • Provide soap, hand sanitizers, disinfectant wipes, cleaning supplies, tissues, trash receptacles, etc.
  • Limit the number of times staff enters a resident’s living quarters
  • Clean and disinfect shared areas such as restrooms, exercise rooms, laundry facilities, elevators, pools, and
    playgrounds
  • Monitor use of face masks and social distancing, if required in your community
  • Identify services and activities that could be limited or temporarily discontinued

Destination Maui, Inc will continue to provide updates, resources and guidance as we transition to normal community operations, to safeguard business
continuity—and most important—healthy communities.