Governor Kathy Hochul Announces Designation of COVID-19 as an Airborne Infectious Disease Under New York State’s HERO Act. At the direction of the governor, the NYS commissioner of health has designated COVID-19 a highly contagious communicable disease that presents a serious risk of harm to the public health under New York State’s HERO Act, which requires private employers like association libraries to implement their workplace safety plans in the event of an airborne infectious disease. Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Standards from the Department of Labor for workplace safety plans include health screenings for staff, masks for staff, and social distancing when possible, according to applicable guidance from the NYS Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control. Public Libraries are not required to implement Health Emergency Plans at this point, which are triggered by the declaration, by the governor, of a public health emergency involving a communicable disease.
