CATHEDRAL CITY — Long before the Riverside County Public Health Department declared a public health emergency for the Coachella Valley after a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19) locally and the 2020 BNP Paribas Open was canceled, Coachella Valley Repertory announced new protocols to reduce the spread of this, or any, virus.

Joe Giarrusso, president of the board of directors, announced Coachella Valley Repertory has instituted additional safety and cleaning protocols.

Coachella Valley Repertory

Joe Giarrusso

“We are taking this action as an added measure of safety and implementing sanitary procedures far beyond what’s required,”  Giarrusso in a prepared statement.

Coachella Valley Repertory will add five hand-sanitizing stations throughout the theatre. In addition, the theatre, seating and all public areas are being sanitized before and between performances with medical-grade disinfectant products.

“We will continue to monitor the spread of this disease,” Giarrusso said. “No one is telling us do this or do that. We highly value the health and well-being of our patrons, volunteers and team members. And, we want to stop something before it has a chance to start. I believe that this proactive approach will help protect us all.”

Dr. James Robb,  a professor of pathology at UCSD, outlined individual precautionary measures:

1. Don’t shake hands – use a fist bump, a bow or an elbow bump

2. Use your knuckle to touch light switches, elevator buttons, etc. Lift the handle at the gas pump using a paper towel or a disposable glove

3. Open doors with your closed fist or hip – do not grasp the handle with your hand – especially in bathrooms or commercial buildings

4. Use disinfectant wipes at the stores when available before using the cart

5. Wash hands with warm water and soap for 10-20 seconds and/or use a greater than 60% alcohol-based sanitizer whenever you return home from any activity that involves locations where other people have been

6. Keep a bottle of sanitizer available at each of your home’s entrances and in your car

7. If possible, cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue and discard. Use your elbow only if you must, as clothing will contain infectious virus that can be passed on for up to a week (or more) For more information on the Coronavirus, confirmed cases and other health information on Coachella Valley Repertory, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by clicking here. For more information on , visit its website by clicking here.

To schedule a tour or see the safety implementations, please contact Tracey Essex at (760) 296-2966, extension 114.

Image Sources

  • Joe Giarrusso: CVRep