The World Health Organization (WHO) has put out of list of guidelines to ensure that your workplace is coronavirus-free, a press release issued by the global body said on February 27.
WHO, along with public health authorities are working towards finding a solution to end the coronavirus outbreak that has spread fear across the world. Health authorities, however, feel that long-term success cannot be taken for granted. “All sections of our society – including businesses and employers – must play a role if we are to stop the spread of this disease,” the press release added.
As part of measures to ensure that COVID-19, the official name for the coronavirus, WHO has asked both employers and employees of both small and large organisations to follow these simple steps
- Ensure your workplace is clean and hygienic
a) Surfaces (desks and tables) and objects (telephones, keyboards) need to be regularly wiped with disinfectants. This is mainly because contamination on the surfaces touched by employees and customers is one of the main ways that the coronavirus spreads.
b) Encourage your employees, contractors, and customers to regularly wash their hands
c) Put a hand sanitiser around the workplace. Employees, too, can carry their personal hand sanitisers or wet wipes. If the company has a sanitizer, ensure it’s regularly refilled
d) Put out posters encouraging people to wash their hands. Ensure that staff, contractors and customers have access to places where they can wash their hands
e) Ensure facemasks or tissues are available at work. Otherwise, encourage your colleagues to carry a handkerchief with them. Ensure that dustbins are properly covered after tissues are disposed.
- Advise employees and contractors to consult national travel advice before going on business trips.
- Brief your employees, contractors and customers that if COVID-19 starts spreading in your community anyone with even a mild cough or low-grade fever needs to stay at home. They should also stay home (or work from home) if they have had to take simple medications, such as paracetamol/acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin, which may mask symptoms of infection.
Interestingly, WHO’s guidelines about masks is a complete contrast to what the US Surgeon General said on Sunday. US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams took to Twitter on February 29 and said: "Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS! They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!"
Meanwhile, the virus rapidly continues to spread across the world
