When I got on the bus this morning, there was an empty seat next to a woman wearing one of those face masks that seem to be popping on all over the place.

I chose another seat.

And, actually, so did everyone else.

This was a commuter bus—during rush hour—to New York City. Seats are a hot commodity. But, instead of sitting next to face mask lady, someone chose to sit all the way in the back of the bus in that weird middle bench seat that squishes you in between two people.

And, at least for me, the thought was, does she have Coronavirus? 

(P.S.: As the driver closed the doors and pulled out of the stop, face mask lady took off her mask and enjoyed spreading out for the rest of the commute. So, she probably didn't have Coronavirus. Hopefully. But I'm taking notes—sitting with strangers on the bus is the worst.)

Coronavirus, of course, is on a lot of people's minds. According to CNN, there are currently at least 1,770 deaths from the virus, most of which in China, where it originated. Despite that number, and despite the fact that there are at least 15 cases in the US, it's unlikely that you're going to get it.

Still, it never hurts to be cautious. After all, as a property manager you and your staff deal with residents, and the last thing anyone wants is to get sick, even if it's just with the flu, which, honestly, is more likely.

So here are some Coronavirus precautions for apartment communities (and also to help stop the spread of germs and other illnesses). 

1. Have hand sanitizer. Everywhere. According to the CDC, hand washing is a great way to help prevent the Coronavirus and other illnesses. But you can't force people to wash their hands. Trust me, I have kids, and I have a hard enough time getting them to do it. And it's not like you can pick up your residents and hold them over the sink while they're trying to wriggle away. Or maybe you can? But if you put hand sanitizer in your common spaces and front desk, people will be encouraged to use it.

Read the full blog.