LAKELAND — Lakeland city officials have recognized that preparing for a hurricane is very different from preparing for a coronavirus pandemic.

“This is new ground for all of us to cover,” Mayor Bill Mutz said. “We want to be prudent as possible, but not overly alarmist either.”

City Manager Tony Delgado presented Lakeland commissioners with the first draft of a “Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan” at their Friday morning agenda study.

“We're good with hurricanes, we're good with tornadoes and those types of things,” Delgado said. “This is something I'm not sure any city, any community was totally prepared for.”

The 25-page document was written by Audrey Cain, the city's new director of emergency management, who was hired approximately a month ago. It's designed to serve as a planning guide for handling “non-medical issues and challenges associated with an influenza pandemic.”

It does not make any specific mention of the new coronavirus known as COVID-19.

The plan would create three priority service levels for Lakeland based on how the World Health Organization assesses a disease phase. It starts at Priority Level 1, where the city operates normally.

At Priority 3, a local emergency can be declared that limits the city's operation to only those needed to protect public health and safety, like police, firefighters and utilities.

Delgado said the city is starting to consider how many of its employees can work from home. The city is reviewing who has the necessary equipment and broadband access, and how to ensure security protocols for networks and documents are in place. Roughly 200 workers already have keychain fobs that allow remote access.

“Our prime goal is identifying those areas that can work from home,” he said.

Lakeland has suspended all employees' work-related trips to conferences or large events for 30 days. There is also a ban on work-related travel via mass transit. Regular business meetings, such as the City Commission's meeting scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday, will still be held.

Commissioner Stephanie Madden asked whether a Lakeland employee who travels for work and becomes sick could file a personal injury lawsuit against the city.

“I think it's unlikely we will get a personal injury lawsuit,” City Attorney Palmer Davis said.

All city employees who personally choose to travel on vacation are being asked to comply with the Centers for Disease Control recommendations for who should self-isolate.

Delgado said any staff members who feel sick or show symptoms of illness are encouraged to use their sick days and stay home. Should an employee be diagnosed with coronavirus or placed in quarantine, the city manager said the individual will be put on paid administrative leave with appropriate medical documentation.

The city manager also expressed his confidence in Lakeland's “robust maintenance crew,” along with hand sanitizer placed in public access areas to help fight contamination.

The City Commission decided against closing public facilities such as Kelly Recreational Center or Lakeland Public Library at this time. However, all city-sponsored or hosted events in the next 30 days will be canceled.

The commissioners also encouraged other organizations using municipal-owned buildings to do the same, following Gov. Ron DeSantis' recommendation to cancel large gatherings.

The mayor said he has been speaking with local church leaders encouraging them to discuss alternative options, including live broadcasts or podcasts, if the threat of coronavirus persists.

For residents with questions about the city's response to COVID-19 and the latest updates are encouraged to check the city's website and click on the “COVID-19: Latest Information” header. It contains information on cancellations and closures, resources and basic health information like prevention, symptoms and getting tested.

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545.