COVID-19: CISA Releases Essential Critical Infrastructure Guidance Version 3.0

I. Overview of the Updated CISA Guidance

On April 17, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), an agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), issued the third version of its nonbinding COVID-19-specific Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers guidance (CISA 3.0).¹ As CISA Director Christopher C. Krebs emphasized in his accompanying cover memorandum, the list is advisory in nature and not a federal directive, and final decisions remain with state and local officials. 

CISA 3.0 incorporates feedback received on workplace "lessons learned" from weeks of business and government operations under state and local shutdown orders, and represents an effort to begin safely reopening the economy. For example, the updated guidance advises essential businesses on appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), suggests revisions to sick leave policies to ensure that employees who are ill do not come to work, recommends development of policies