Operations have activated their response plans.

The Municipality of Hafnarfjörður has raised its preparedness level to align with the civil defence emergency level due to infections of the COVID-19 virus. Although the National Commissioner of the Police, in consultation with the Director of Public Health, has lowered the civil contingency alert level from threat to emergency, the council's response plans are focused on maintaining school and cultural activities with restrictions, and ensuring the necessary services and functions. remain uninterrupted at all levels. This, however, does not include those services and activities of the municipality that cater for people in vulnerable positions but Certain services of the family and child affairs department have already been cut and some resources closed.. Despite this reduction, efforts continue to provide essential services in the field.  Emergency Management of the Municipality of Hafnarfjörður has been operational since the civil defence declared a state of alert on 27 January. 

Emergency response plan for the Port of Hafnarfjörður and the support services of the City of Hafnarfjörður activated yesterday.

The City of Hafnarfjörður has around 70 facilities. The managers of schools and institutions have already activated their response plans in recent days and weeks and have taken appropriate and coordinated responses in line with the recommendations and guidance of the Chief Medical Officer, the Director of Public Health, and the Civil Defence. The emergency response plan for the Port of Hafnarfjörður and the support departments of the City of Hafnarfjörður at Hafnarfjörður Town Hall and at Norðurhellu was activated yesterday. The support departments are as follows: Finance Department, Administration Department, Service and Development Department, Environment and Planning Department, Office of the Education and Public Health Department, and the Office of the Family and Child Affairs Department.

The services of the support departments of the City of Hafnarfjörður specifically include the following:

• The council's top priority: 1) Emergency management, 2) 24-hour operational centres according to the emergency plan, 3) Home care services according to the emergency plan and 4) Child protection according to the emergency plan.
• Other activities taken into account when defining projects: 1) finance according to priorities, 2) payroll processing according to priorities, 3) Information services to the public via the customer service centre and the web, 4) Operation of core systems, 5) Payment of housing benefit, 6) Financial assistance and 7) Handling of urgent administrative matters, in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act.

In line with the municipality's response plans, the following measures will be implemented across the board:

• Schooling – disability. A staff day will be held in all nurseries and primary schools in Hafnarfjörður on Monday, 16 March, so that management and staff can best organise school activities during this period of restrictions. This means that staff will attend work, but pupils will stay at home. Parents of nursery and primary school children are asked to keep a close eye on information that will be published over the weekend and on Monday.
• Definition of groups of staff. It is anticipated that some staff in support departments and at the Port of Hafnarfjörður who perform services that must remain uninterrupted at all levels will work both in separate areas within their workplaces and remotely to minimise the risk of group infection and prevent entire workentire units are taken out of action at the same time.
• Minimising face-to-face meetings between staff from different departments, with a focus on remote meetings. Travel between departments is limited to those considered essential. Staff are encouraged to hold remote meetings and to prioritise meetings. 
• Events and promotional meetings. The scheduling of new meetings and events organised by the municipality will be postponed while the emergency alert level is in effect. Scheduled planning meetings will be live-streamed. 
• Interviews and meetings with residents at the Town Hall or at Norðurhellu. We are prioritising dealing with enquiries by telephone or email. Essential meetings and visits are still being held.
• Service desk and service centre. Residents and customers who have business with the Customer Service Centre are encouraged to send an email to hafnarfjordur@hafnarfjordur.is, use web chat on www.hafnarfjordur.is or call 585-5500 to limit non-essential visits. Information about services is available at www.hafnarfjordur.is

Let's all work together to minimise the risk of infection and illness.