COVID-19

Shelter in Place

As governments work to reduce the spread of coronavirus there has been a patchwork of shelter in place requirements. A shelter in place requirement means that only “essential businesses” may continue to operate through the duration of these orders. NPMA is working hard to ensure that pest control (extermination services) are deemed “essential". These orders can be imposed by the federal, provincial, state or local governments.

Click here for the list of shelter in place orders.

 

We Need Your Help

UNITED STATES

State/Local: If you have a relationship with Lawmakers, Mayors, or your Governor, please customize and share this letter with them immediately. 

Help Us Advocate for a Federal Essential Classification: Click here to quickly send a note to your lawmaker. 

CANADA

If you have a relationship with Lawmakers, Mayors, or your Governor, please customize and share this letter with them immediately.

 

Tracking Shelter in Place Orders/Efforts

NPMA is doing it’s best to track the shelter in place orders. Click here to view a document that shows which US localities have imposed a shelter in place order and also, which states, localities and agencies we have reached out to. Click here to view a document that shows Canada localities that have imposed a shelter in place order, and also which provinces, localities and agencies we have reached out to. If there are updates to this document that you are aware of, please contact aarchitect@pestworld.org.

Federal Government: There is not a federal shelter in place order for US or Canada. To advocate for an essential classification, NPMA has taken efforts, that include:

  • Letter to the US President
  • Letter to US Senate and House Leadership 
  • US Chambers of Commerce Letter    
  • Requests to Department of Homeland Security and USDA to list pest control as an essential infrastructure industry.
  • Letter to Regulators – We have been notified by the Association of American Pesticide Control Officials (AAPCO) that they are supportive of our efforts and their board of directors has endorsed it on their website.  The Association of Structural Pesticide Control Officials (ASPCRO) has shared the NPMA letter with their membership. This effort has generated exceedingly positive feedback from regulators who agree that pest control is an essential industry. 
  • Letter to US Government Agencies – NPMA has contacted EPA, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and the Centers for Disease Control.
  • Letter to Canadian Government Agencies - CPMA and NPMA have sent letters to Health Canada, CFIA, Canadian Health Ministers, Canadian Premiers, and the mayors of Canada's capital cities.

State and Provincial Governments: As the Coronavirus continues to change daily life, we have seen several US states that have implemented either strict shelter in place orders and several others that have provided guidance on what businesses should and should not operate. NPMA is working hard to advocate for pest control services to be deemed essential in all states and provinces. *The designation of "essential service" does not require businesses to remain open and/or change the scope of services.

If you are in a state, province or territory with a shelter in place order, NPMA recommends printing a copy of the shelter in place order. Additionally, US states should print or have a link to the Department of Homeland Security Guidance Document on critical infrastructure.

Additionally, you may also use the attached form for your US employees with information on pest control being an essential service in states with a shelter in place order.

To advocate for an essential classification, NPMA has taken efforts, that include: 

Local Shelter in Place Orders: To date we have seen several Canadian Provinces and several cities in California put shelter in place orders into effect. Pest Control has been deemed essential in the majority of these locations.

  • US: Click here to view orders for shelter in place mandates for those localities that have imposed one. Please note, NPMA is working hard to track these but this may not be a complete listing.
  • Canada: Click here to view orders for shelter in place mandates for localities that have imposed one. Please note, NPMA is working hard to track these but this may not be a complete listing.