In January the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of a new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in China to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. They also stated that there was a high risk of COVID-19 spreading to other countries. As we all now know, it has spread, and is causing a great deal of concern. As it spreads, it is important that all sections of our society, including businesses and employers play a role in stopping the spread of the disease.
How COVID-19 Spreads
When a person that has COVID-19 coughs or exhales they release droplets of infected fluid. Most of these droplets fall on nearby surfaces such as desks, tables, telephones or other surfaces. People that come in contact with these surfaces could then become infected by touching the contaminated surfaces and then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. It is also possible that they could catch it by breathing in the droplets that an infected person has coughed out or exhaled.
Preparing Your Employees and Workplace
Given how easily COVID-19 spreads, it is vital that companies are prepared to deal with potential outbreaks with their organization. This means that companies not only need to have strategies in place to deal with workloads, but also with the possibility of having your workforce working remote. Although remote workplaces have become increasingly common, for most businesses, this is not something that they are prepared to do. However, with the continued pace at which this new coronavirus is spreading, remote work spaces may become a necessity for businesses.
For some employees this may be fine, but what about those employees that are dealing with sensitive information that cannot be accessed outside of your internal network. How will these employees continue to work remotely?
At ACS we understand that this can be quite the undertaking, and are here to help. We can help you get your business and employees ready for a remote work environment. If you are looking to get your business prepared to deal with a potential COVID-19 outbreak, contact ACS at 877-404-8224 and let us help.