Coronavirus has had the world shaken and almost on full lockdown. There are 146,314 confirmed cases and 5,443 deaths (numbers as of March 14, 2020 10:20 a.m. GMT). Did you also know that of the confirmed cases, 72,556 have recovered and been discharged from hospital? This is some good news amidst the panic that is going on around the world.

What is coronavirus?

Corona viruses are a family of viruses that range from the common cold to MERS coronavirus, which is Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus and SARs, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus.   

The new coronavirus also known as COVID-19 is a disease caused by the novel coronavirus. A novel coronavirus is spread from an animal carrier to a human which mutates and makes the human infected thus causing the symptoms.

The primary symptoms of coronavirus are:

·       Fever

·       Cough

·       Shortness of breath

It can be severe in some cases causing pneumonia and even death.

Coronavirus is spread through: surface particles, airborne particles or close contact with people infected with the virus.

Coronavirus has caused a lot of activities to come to a standstill. Some companies in the affected countries have stopped operations completely or have decided to have their employees work from home to prevent them from catching the virus. Companies encourage employees who exhibit symptoms to self-quarantine.

The hospitality and the service provider industry are taking an initiative of offering hand sanitizer to their customers as they come in to their business premises.  It is important to take the necessary precautions to prevent contracting this disease.

Companies should take the initiative to educate their employees on how to stay safe.

How can we prevent the spread of coronavirus at work place?

1.     Wash your hands

Employees should wash their hands as frequently as a possible with soap and water. Wash your hands properly and do it for about 20 seconds. Alternatively you can use an alcohol based hand sanitizer to clean your hands. These methods will help kill the virus on your hands. Ensure your workspace are stocked with hand sanitizers and hand wash.

2.     Avoid touching your face

Our eyes, ears and noses contain mucus membranes which can cause the virus to get into our bodies quickly. Our hands come in contact with so many things and you can be in contact with the virus before you get a chance to wash them. Therefore, avoid touching your face at all times.

3.     Clean common area surfaces.

Wipe down surface areas in your workplace that are frequently used by everyone in the workspace. Before touching high traffic surfaces wipe them well with a disinfectant to ensure you do not touch the virus.

4.     Disinfect and Sanitize

Companies should ensure sanitizers are placed at different common places at work place for employees to sanitize their hands frequently. Common areas and workstations should also be disinfected every now and then. Employees exposed to strangers should use masks and avoid shaking hands.

5.     Shaking Hands

As Kenyans we shake hands instinctively when we meet and after a meeting. If perhaps you meet someone who contracted the virus, and they touched their mouth or nose with their hand. When that person shakes your hand, they transfer some of the virus to your hand.

If you then touch your mouth or nose without washing your hands first, you may accidentally give that virus an entry point into your own body. People should stop shaking hands and not take offence if a colleague or customer rejects the handshake.

6.     Avoid coming in contact with those infected

If you find yourself next to someone who is coughing or sneezing keep at least six feet away from them, that’s how far the particle can spread. If you need to attend to someone who has been infected, put on a mask and have the person wear a mask too to stop the virus from spreading.

7.     Stay at home if you are sick or have symptoms.

If you are having symptoms call in sick and stay at home to avoid spreading the virus. Call your doctor and they will advise on how to administer treatment to you. If you are coughing, use a tissue and throw it away or cover your mouth with your elbow. If your manager/ supervisor or HR asks you to stay at home, take it positively; at this point there is no taking chances.

8.     Travelling for business?

You do not need to cancel your travel plans yet, just avoid going to places that have been affected by the disease. Take into account precautions given by travel airlines. Practice hand hygiene in the airports, hotels and places you will be visiting.

9.     Stay informed.

There is a lot of misinformation going on around about the disease which is causing even more panic. Make sure you are receiving the right information to avoid doing the wrong thing. The World Health Organization, WHO is one of the places you can get the right information about the disease.

The employment sector has also been greatly affected by the coronavirus but we need to be cautious as individuals to prevent the spread of this disease.

Cynthia Chebet

Marketing Executive

Brites Management Services Ltd.