As the world continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, we are now facing a terrible new battle with variants. This is a battle that many governments have not planned or prepared. Delta is neither the first or last variant that we need to overcome in the future wave after wave of COVID mutants (what I call the COVID-X situation). It requires a lot of renewed efforts, not just Think of vaccines as silver bullets.
We are facing a perfect storm Ascending variant, Vaccine hesitation with Increasing lack of trust in public health officials The response to the mutant storm is undermining.Already creating new cases Regional hotspot Throughout the United States, coupled with the misleading remarks and wishful thinking of politicians, it is clear that the epidemic is far from over.
The United States and some other Western countries have bet on strategies to end the pandemic: obtaining herd immunity through vaccines, and quickly removing restrictions on public masks or social distancing. What we are witnessing now is that the strategy has failed to materialize. Dr. Gregory Poland, head of the Mayo Clinic vaccine research team, recently stated that herd immunity is “in theory possible, but we as a society have rejected it. There is no eradication at this point. It is not in the scope of discussion.”
Other countries have adopted a completely different approach to Delta from the United States. E.g, In Guangzhou, ChinaAfter news of only 96 cases of the Delta variant in the city, officials imposed strict travel restrictions, testing practices, and lockdowns.
As Dr. Poland pointed out, as travel resumes and variants such as Delta steadily appear and move around the globe, we may lose control. Therefore, unfortunately, the pandemic is not over and will not disappear anytime soon. Ending the pandemic will undoubtedly require a new strategy-including vaccines, but not entirely dependent on vaccines.
As a business leader, just like me and others, you must decide the right way to reopen your business. In my opinion, just not getting sick. It is to avoid being infected. It is to understand and run a healthy workplace. So as not to endanger our employees or customers in our daily operations. By following government guidelines that avoid infection, there will be no huge debt and productivity losses. Let me offer some suggestions:
Request and provide good masks.
A study by the Cambridge University Hospital NHS Trust It was pointed out that when medical staff upgraded the quality of masks to FFP3, their infection rate plummeted. Allowing low-quality masks is almost as bad as not allowing them. Most importantly, wearing a mask should no longer be a political statement. This is a physical action designed to reduce exposure to aerosolized virus particles.
As leaders, we must participate in wearing masks, not because the government says so, but because we are working hard not to get sick and to prevent other people from getting sick. If you do not prove this, you will not persuade your employees to wear masks and PPE or participate in virus safety practices.
Upholding the compliance of all employees is very important to workplace safety. Infection incidents can occur anywhere, regardless of personal judgment, politics, religious beliefs, or feelings.
Improve air circulation and working distance.
This includes offices, meeting rooms, cafeterias, and yes, even meat processing plants. Companies that are not involved in the improvement of the workspace may become the next important source of corporate responsibility because of the choices they make.
Continue to develop a “work from home” strategy that has been so effective in reducing exposure and infection. Providing office employees with a space where they can eat, drink, and take off their masks without putting others in danger, which helps maintain compliance in public spaces or when meeting with others. For example, providing employees with an outdoor lunch space, a personal space where they can safely “wear a mask”, or providing employees with a physically isolated indoor office can help alleviate the pressure of wearing masks throughout the day.
Since COVID is aerosolized, especially Delta is highly infectious, it is important to improve air filtration and ventilation. Unless ventilated or filtered, employees sitting in the office can concentrate the atomized particles in the office air.
So, what is our next step? Take steps to protect yourself and your employees. It’s easy to get lost in all the numbers, incomplete information, and inconsistent policies, but protecting yourself and your employees can be simple. If vaccination and our public policies cannot end the pandemic, at least the business community can provide multiple layers of protection to help individuals stay healthy.
Become your own expert.
The most important advice to employers is to become your own expert. Don’t let a speaker, a producer, or a few news stories define your understanding of the pandemic. The best tool for making smart decisions that suit your business is to do your homework to understand the epidemic more deeply than the average employee.
At this stage, employers need to consider the lasting impact of the epidemic extensively. Long-term COVID is an under-covered aspect of this ongoing epidemic, and employers need to take it seriously.The current data shows Approximately 10% of all COVID infections Causes long COVID syndrome. These conditions can be very serious and even include severe dysfunction. Productivity, creativity, health insurance rates, etc. will all be affected by these cases. This emphasizes the importance of preventing infection in the first place.
Policies and behaviors to avoid infection, such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, are essential to prevent continued spread and infection. In order to ensure your own safety, please combine your actions with the existence of mutations. Support your immune system, maintain social distancing, wear a mask and get vaccinated.
The information provided here is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.You should consult a qualified healthcare provider for advice on your specific situation
