The last two years have been nothing like anything we have known before. Indeed, there have been pandemics in human history but our knowledge and experience of these have been largely historical and theoretical. All that changed in 2019 when the world had to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and all the health, economic and social consequences it came with. After long months of shutting down businesses and putting off social gatherings, with the emergence of a vaccine, life is beginning to return to normalcy.
We must be careful, however, even as we make these readjustments on our journey back, as people can still get infected with different variants of the virus regardless of their vaccination status. Outbreaks of COVID-19 have been seen in Canadian workplaces and as such, there is a need to educate employees and of course, employers on ways they can help decrease Covid-19 transmission risks in order to ensure everyone’s safety as much as possible.
Safety Tips for Employees
- Stay home when sick – When you notice any of the classical signs of covid 19 infection such as a fever, headache, difficulty in breathing, loss of the senses of smell and taste as well as other flu-like symptoms, ensure to stay at home.
- Practice Hand hygiene – It is important to have a personal hand sanitizer in your bag, on your desk, and around the workplace. However, this should not take the place of handwashing with soap and water whenever possible.
- Practice respiratory etiquette in public – Because your hands are likely to make contact with your surroundings more often than any other part of your body, it is important not to touch the mouth and nose with it. When sneezing, do so into the curve of your elbows.
- Follow the workplace guidelines – Protection guidelines are set up by health care professionals to help keep us safe and businesses should rightly adapt these guidelines to help them function adequately. Learn these guidelines, understand and follow all the policies that are applicable to your workplace.
- Keep workstations safe – Always clean and disinfect workstations including counters and tables, as well as surfaces and objects that are easily and frequently touched by both staff and clients/customers.
- Protect yourself – Ensure to always have on your face mask and any other personal protective gear like face shields and gloves where necessary, especially if your job description involves interacting with people or working in groups.
- Get screened – Many workplaces have instituted a screening initiative. If yours has a program like this, ensure to participate and encourage others to do so as well.
- Report all exposures – If you find that you have been in contact with any suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, ensure to bring it to the notice of the public health authorities in your area and adhere to their advice and safety guidelines.
There are other more specific guidelines that may best suit your place of work other than the ones outlined here. Ensure to look out for and follow through on them. Also, an interactive Web-based tool for Covid-19 risk assessment has been developed which you can freely use to enhance your safety and which takes just a few minutes.
As we continue to readjust to this challenge together, endeavor to get vaccinated as this will give you an added edge of protection. Stay safe!
