IS&T Is An Essential Business & We Are Here For You During These Trying Times

Recently, many counties in and around the Houston area have issued various “stay home” or “shelter in place” orders. These measures have been taken by local government to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

During the “shelter in place” order, residents are required to stay home at all times with the exception of completing “essential” activities, such as caring for family members and pets, seeking medical attention, shopping for groceries, picking up medications, and the like.

What do “shelter in place” orders mean for businesses?

Many businesses during this time find themselves facing closures due to “shelter in place” orders, with the exception of those that are considered “essential businesses.” According to the Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), “essential businesses” are any business whose operations or services are essential to the viability of our nation’s critical infrastructure.

In the event a business is not considered “essential,” businesses must allow their employees to work from home or close altogether until the “stay home” order is lifted.

IS&T is an “Essential Business” during the “shelter in place” order.

The CISA has identified a list of sectors and industries that are considered essential to critical infrastructure, including 16 critical industries such as healthcare & public services, transportation, food & agriculture, emergency services, energy, financial, and more.

This list also includes information technology, as the companies and workers who keep data centers, networks, and other IT services running are a key aspect of the viability of our infrastructure.