8th March 2020 – At the time of writing this article, over 107,000 around the world have got Coronavirus, and there have been over 3600 deaths! In Italy 16 million people have been quarantined, and here in the UK 273 people have it and 2 have died!
Right here in Kent just today, two confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported in Maidstone!
So what are you doing in your business to ensure your staff are protected (as much as they can be), so your business can continue to thrive?
- Have you asked them to stop shaking hands with each other, and even with customers?
- Are you providing your staff with medical face masks?
- Have you made arrangements for people to work from home?
- Have you ordered extra hand sanitizer?
Coronavirus symptoms
According to the NHS website: The symptoms of coronavirus are:
- a cough
- a high temperature
- shortness of breath
But these symptoms do not necessarily mean you have the illness.
The symptoms are similar to other illnesses that are much more common, such as cold and flu.
NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do.
Let face it, the reality is that the vast majority of businesses, especially small businesses, do not have disaster plan in place to deal with something like this.
Travel for work?
The government says that if you travel for business and have been to one of the high risk regions of the world then ‘stay indoors and avoid contact with other people if you’ve travelled to the UK from the following places in the last 14 days, even if you do not have symptoms’
The government and NHS advises that we all stay calm and follow this advice:
DO
- Wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
- Always wash your hands when you get home or into work
- Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
- Put used tissues in the bin straight away and wash your hands afterwards
- Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell
DONT
- Touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean
Working From Home
Many companies are suggesting workers who can get the job done from home do just that. But is that even possible for smaller local businesses in Kent?
According to Sky News – not going into the office is an effective way of preventing the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, because it minimises the risk of you coming into contact with someone carrying the disease.
Get ready to work from home:
- Keep in contact with the office, so you know whats expected from you while working from home (and it give you a chance to keep up with the gossip!)
- Conference calls need to become second nature
- Make sure you have a ‘work space’ (in bed doesnt really count)
- Try to stick to your usual working hours (dont work late at night if you don’t usually)
- Remember to eat properly (its too easy to grab that biscuit tin!)
- Take regular breaks
- Remember to work (turn the TV off)
Interestingly, video conference call software companies are among those benefiting from the coronavirus outbreak as many people make the decision to work from home.
Some technology companies which produce software used by remote workers, including Zoom and Slack, have subsequently received a bump in share prices in recent days too!
How are you preparing for Coronavirus in your workplace? Let us know in the comments section below!
Notes – This article includes our personal views. Please seek medical advice as we are not medical professionals. Amazon affiliate links are included in this article.