Pub. 9 2020 Issue 2

l e a d i n g a d v o c a t e f o r t h e b a n k i n g i n d u s t r y i n k a n s a s 10 CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE: COMMON PRACTICES FOR COMMUNITY BANKS Nuts-And-Bolts Strategies to Help Banks Respond to the Coronavirus Pandemic By Paul Benda, SVP, American Bankers Association We are living in unprecedented times. The novel coronavirus is fundamentally changing — at least temporarily — the nature of human interaction and how we go about our daily lives. While businesses, schools and even churches are shutting down, America’s banks remain open for business, doing the important work of providing credit, advice and assistance to individuals and entrepreneurs — many of whom are facing economic hardship. This situation is a fluid one, and with things changing on an almost hourly basis, an undoubtedly stressful one. But in talking with ABA members nationwide, we’ve seen a powerful and uplifting response to these trying times. From waiving fees, offering special branch hours for senior citizens, to donating to domestic and global response efforts, banks are working in lockstep with one another to meet the needs of their customers. We’ve also seen several common practices emerging that together can provide a useful roadmap for responding to the pandemic at your own institution. Sanitation practices The novel coronavirus, first and foremost, is a health challenge. It can be spread through droplets when a person coughs or sneezes and can live for several days on surfaces. With that in mind, keeping your bank branches clean is critical. Provide a plan for your branch employees to help them protect themselves before, during and after serving customers. This could include using hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes and gloves, but if you provide gloves they are most effective if they are changed often and discarded immediately. Clean surfaces thoroughly and often, especially high touch areas. That should include the drive-thru area, including the drawer and the tube, teller stations and speaker. To help minimize the risk of person-to-person transmission, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that individuals keep a six-foot distance of separation when interacting with others. In the event that an employee or customer tests positive for COVID-19, it may be prudent to close the branch for a deep cleaning. Having a plan and established procedures for closing