Ohio CIO Urges Companies To Prepare For Coronavirus Disruptions

Public health officials are recommending the implementation of social distancing in places where coronavirus is spreading.

Ohio's top tech official is urging businesses to prepare now for the likely event that happens. The state is seeing more changes in response to the first confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

Ohio State University, Kent State University and Case Western Reserve University have canceled in-person classes for the rest of the month and Ohio Senate staff, who worked with an intern now in self-quarantine, are conducting business from home Tuesday.

Ervan Rodgers, Ohio's Chief Information Officer, says companies and large organizations should start making plans now for the likely event that employees will need to work remotely, out of the office.

"If you're waiting until it does happen then you're out of time at that point in time everything else is…time is of the essence and you're behind the eight ball," Rodgers said.

Tips from Rodgers include:

• Keep cybersecurity a priority
• Make sure all work applications are web-enabled or remotely accessible
• Check capacity to ensure applications can handle an influx of remote users

Companies should make sure Virtual Private Networks (VPN) have enough licenses for essential employees, he added.

Similar protocols are in place for state agencies, Rodgers said.

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