anderson-county-notary-responding-to-covid-19

Current COVID-19 Updates for 2022

To keep things updated with the current COVID-19 resources for Notary signing agents. Anderson County Notary still is taking steps to protect us as well as our clients. Those steps include:

  • Hand sanitizer is available for all clients.
  • Washing hands before and after every Notary appointment. Actually I wash my hands between 25 and 50 times per day.
  • I have both of my COVID shots as well as my booster.
  • All surfaces are sanitized before every appointment
  • I have 2 air purifiers running in my house that one of them is rated for a room larger than my entire house.
  • House Plants – The normal virus will remain in the air for an hour, however having house plants will cut that down to 15 minutes. Most of the house plants that I have, I have selected for their ability to keep the air clean of different pollutants.

Conducting Signings During Shelter-in-Place or Stay-at-Home Orders

As of March 27, 2020, 25 states, 74 counties, and 14 cities have issued varying forms of shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders. The specifics are location-dependent, but each of these orders generally allows for the maintenance of “essential services.” This has left many wondering what this means for signing agents and the services they provide.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) helps local governments, businesses, and individuals identify critical infrastructure during COVID-19. The Director, Christopher C. Krebs issued more guidance in a memorandum on March 19, 2020 that specifically identifies Financial Services and “workers who are needed to provide consumer access to banking and lending services” as part of the nation’s critical infrastructure.

Additionally, the Department of the Treasury issued a Memorandum for Financial Services Sector on March 22, 2020 identifying those who “provide consumer access to banking and lending services” as well as “key third party providers who deliver core services” as members of the “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce.”

Real estate is the largest asset class in the world. Signing agents are valuable players in helping consumers close on a home, refinance their mortgage, and access the credit tied to their house. 

Ultimately, it’s important for everyone to decide what’s best for them personally. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of “should I complete this signing?” We provide more information on safety and COVID-19 below, but only you can decide what’s best for you.

As we learn more about rules, regulations, or orders, we’ll update this information. 

Safety and COVID-19/Coronavirus

The safety of everyone in the Snapdocs community is the highest priority. As the situation with COVID-19/coronavirus evolves, we highly recommend staying close to the guidance issued by your local health authorities. 

In order to protect yourself and consumers, please do not accept signings if any of the following situations apply:

  • You have returned from international travel within the last 14 days.
  • You or household family members had close contact with or cared for someone diagnosed with COVID-19 within the last 14 days.
  • You have experienced any cold or flu-like symptoms in the last 14 days (fever, cough, shortness of breath).

If you believe you may be affected, you should not proceed with a signing and should contact the hiring party to let them know that the order needs to be reassigned.

Additional Information – Covid-19 Resources for Notary Signing Agents

Additionally, if you’d like, you can confirm with the consumer beforehand that they are not sick and that none of the above situations apply to them. If you feel the environment of a signing will put you at risk in any way, please ask to be removed from the order. 

If you will not be conducting signings for an extended period of time, you can temporarily opt out of receiving signing notifications. To do so, set yourself as “out of office” on Snapdocs. You can always cancel your out of office status at any time.

If you will continue conducting signings during this time, please take the following precautions outlined by the CDC in order to protect the health and safety of yourselves and others: 

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. 
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks. You can find a list of EPA approved disinfectants here. 
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.

Signing agents are a critical piece of the United States economy. Stay safe and take care of yourself and those around you. We’ll keep this updated as we learn more. 

Additional Resources