As the second wave surges across South Africa, there will be high Covid-19 risk in the workplace in January – so employers need to put measures in place now for when staff return to work, says Dr Rebaone Moshenyane, occupational medical practitioner at Workforce Healthcare.<\/p>\n
Workforce Healthcare is the healthcare division of AltX-listed Workforce Holdings. It is a specialist health and wellness provider that aims to positively influence employee health and wellness through disease prevention, early detection and diagnosis, and interventions that restore and optimise health and wellness.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour staff may spend December in Covid hotspots…Companies need to implement proactive measures to avoid a coronavirus outbreak in January.\u201d<\/p>\n
Workforce Healthcare offers fully integrated workplace and wellness programmes for 160,000 employees including Covid-19 screening, prevention and management.<\/p>\n
Dr Moshenyane outlines the measures that employers should implement.<\/p>\n
Symptom checking<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s essential to do symptom checking for every staff member returning in January to ensure that infected staff do not enter the workplace and infect others. Those with Covid-19 symptoms should work from home or not come to work.<\/p>\n “If they test positive, they should self-isolate for 10 days from onset of symptoms. Workforce in collaboration with Healthy Living Consulting (HLC) has a Covid screening app, to support employers with this process.<\/p>\n \u201cEmployees have complained that the screening process takes too long because security staff are not properly trained and often don\u2019t know what to do when someone presents with symptoms. Employers need to make sure this is addressed so that all employees are properly screened. Our network of nurses across the country can also support employers,\u201d said Dr Moshenyane.<\/p>\n Virtual GP visit<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cSymptomatic employees can go to their own doctors, but companies should explore options for virtual consultations such as those offered by Workforce Healthcare. These consultations allow employers to more easily monitor whether the employee has in fact consulted with a GP and are referred for testing if necessary,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Covid testing<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe GP will also decide whether the employee should be tested for Covid. Once tested, the staff member must share the result with their HR department or line manager, and follow the doctor\u2019s orders. We streamline this process; help manage employees who test positive and handle the work clearance once the staff member recovers.\u201d<\/p>\n Vulnerable employees<\/strong><\/p>\n Moshenyane added that, \u201cAdults with certain diseases and weakened immune systems are at increased risk of severe illness from Covid-19 and employers have a duty to identify and protect them. These can include people suffering from conditions like heart disease, HIV, diabetes, asthma and cancer.<\/p>\n \u201cMany employers do not know how many vulnerable employees they have. The new guidelines from the Department of Labour state that companies with more than 50 employees have to identify vulnerable employees. An app such as the one available through Workforce Healthcare and HLC is recommended to help with this.<\/p>\n \u201cEmployees do not have to indicate their condition, but they do have to let their employer know that they have a chronic illness. Companies are obliged to accommodate them and ensure that they are safe in the workplace or make another plan if the workplace is not ideal.”<\/p>\n Antigen testing<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cOne of the flaws of screening is that many people with Covid are asymptomatic and do not know that they are infected. We recommend an antigen test which detects Covid-19 infection for high risk staff members. Results are available within one hour,\u201d said Dr Moshenyane.<\/p>\n Psychological issues<\/strong><\/p>\n The pandemic has exacerbated many psychosocial issues due to stress, financial stress and grief. \u201cEmployees should have access to a 24\/7 Covid-19 support lines manned by trained counsellors and psychologists. Workforce offers face-to-face counselling as well as virtual consultations,\u201d she says. It is important that employees have a confidential outlet for their stress and fears.<\/p>\n Track and trace<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe contacts of infected employees must be traced to avoid further spread of the disease. Those contacts exhibiting symptoms should go to a GP while those who are asymptomatic should self-quarantine for 10 days and inform their doctor if they develop symptoms,\u201d said Dr Moshenyane.<\/p>\n This is easily done via the Covid support line, while tracking and tracing and follow up calls are done with employees to track if they begin to show symptoms. It can also help with any anxiety they may be experiencing.<\/p>\n 2021 risk assessment<\/strong><\/p>\n Moshenyane recommends that employers do a new risk assessment in January after re-opening offices that were closed during December. \u201cRisk assessments determine the standards for social-distancing and sanitiser availability so the risk of Covid-19 is reduced in the workplace,\u201d said Moshenyane.<\/p>\n
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