Five Strategies To Keep Corona At Bay While Returning To Office

New Delhi: Amid the coronavirus pandemic, a normal life routine has become no less than a mirage for the people. While the corona affected tally is going up at a rapid pace, saving the economy is also an emerging challenge in front of the Central government.

Since offices across the country are slowly resuming their operations with less employees, living with corona will be the new normal.

Here are five strategies that the workplaces and employees need to adapt while going for work, as appeared in New Yorker magazine.

Distancing

US-based surgeon Atul Gawande writes in the magazine that it is difficult for the employees to avoid face-to-face encounters but the meetings can be done using video conferencing even if the employees are inside the office premises.

Besides, one-meter distance should be maintained by the employees as the virus could be easily spread from one person to another.

Hygiene

According to a study, hand-washing five times a day can reduce the chances of respiratory infections by 45 per cent. Therefore, amid the coronavirus one needs to wash their hands frequently, scrubbing the fingers, arms, nails and wrists for at least 20 seconds as per the guidelines.

Moreover, offices need to ensure cleaning of door knobs, workstations, keyboards, desktops, etc on a regular basis.

Screening

While many public places have begun screening people before they enter the premises, the same measures can be adopted by the offices for their employees.

The daily screening at check-ins will easily track employees with symptoms.

Masks

The basic logic behind wearing masks is “I protect you, you protect me,” says Gawande. Since people could transmit droplets, sneeze, cough, etc while talking, face masks are the only way to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

According to a study, a surgical mask could stop the droplets by 99 per cent if worn properly, and a home-made mask is 60 per cent effective.

Culture

Offices need to encourage the employees to stay at home even if they suffer from runny nose or sore throat.

Extra paid sick leaves should be brought into existence by the offices.

These practices could curtail the risk of getting infected from coronavirus.

Also Read: Lack Of Access To Effective Handwashing Puts 50 Million Indians At High COVID-19 Risk: Study