However, the New York City Department of Health is developing more extensive guidance for property owners and managers, according to spokesman Patrick Gallahue, and advising building owners to clean more often and use disinfectant cleaning products.

FirstService Residential New York, which manages 550 co-op, condo and rental buildings in the city, sent residents a letter advising them to take basic precautions, but it has not yet made changes to day-to-day operations in its properties, which house 225,000 New Yorkers.

“It’s business as usual,” said Dan Wurtzel, president of FirstService Residential New York, adding that his company has not received any directives from city, state or federal agencies. “The last thing that we want to do is start to give advice when this is definitely not in our wheelhouse.”

Buildings can and should take steps to limit the possibility of transmission, not to mention make their residents and staff feel safer. They should be cleaning and disinfecting high-traffic surfaces like front-door handles and elevator buttons, as well as common rooms, like gyms and laundry rooms. They can also station hand-sanitizer around the building, which could be particularly useful with supplies running low in stores. They could also post signs encouraging residents to be vigilant about keeping their homes disinfected and to cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze and to wash their hands frequently.

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