Helping Our Community Stay Healthy
Message from Our Board President and ED

Business Owners & Managers,

In response to COVID-19, our role at the Amherst Area Chamber, is two-fold. Firstly, to serve as a resource to you, promulgating information as it comes in from official sources, and supporting you as you change and adapt your daily operations in response.

Pulse put it best in making their decision to postpone the March After 5:
" Our primary concern is and will always be the health and safety our colleagues and community. Our commitment to serve and support our communities has led to the postponing/rescheduling the Chamber event."

During this time, the Chamber is here to do what we always do -- support our local businesses. If you have questions or need assistance do not hesitate to give the Chamber a call at (413)253-0700.

In response to member concerns, we will be postponing all Chamber events until further notice while we focus on supporting our businesses.

This is a rapidly evolving situation and the Chamber is carefully monitoring it and will follow guidance from the state and local municipalities and respond accordingly.


Lynn Gray, Board President
Claudia Pazmany, Executive Director

Strategies for You

We encourage you to review the Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers from the CDC and reflect and plan with your team how to implement these best practices.

Here is a video applicable to employees, community members, and your company on how to stop the spread of germs from the CDC. Here is a poster with the same content.
The steps to prevent exposure as an individual depend on your personal health and individuals should contact their primary care professional for advice.

Likewise, response by businesses to better prepare your company is going to vary from business to business. Contact the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce and we will work with local officials and public health professionals to coach you through this and discern the best path forward for your business. For reference, here is a complete guide to preparing your business from OSHA .

Recommended strategies for employers to use now:
  • Offer the flexibility of employees to work from home
  • Perform routine environmental cleaning
  • Actively encourage sick employees to stay home
  • Emphasize hand washing and general hygiene with employees
  • Advise employees before traveling and review CDC’s Traveler’s Health Notices for the latest guidance and recommendations for each country to which you will travel.

Additional Resources