Second wave of Covid to make back-to-work more dangerous in 2021

Returning to work could become hazardous in the new year, since while you stay at home your colleagues, who have travelled to Covid-19 hotspots could bring the pandemic back to the office.

However, good planning could make a difference, says Dr Rebaone Moshenyane, an occupational medical practitioner at Workforce Healthcare. This planning includes symptom checking for returning staff, making provision for vulnerable employees, virtual doctors’ visits, Covid-19 testing, antibody testing, mental wellness and track and trace, as well as a 2021 risk assessment.

Symptom checking

Moshenyane recommends that every staff member returning in January be checked for Covid-19 symptoms before entering the workplace and infecting others. Employees with Covid-19 symptoms must stay home and if they test positive, they must self-isolate for 10 days from onset of symptoms.

Many employees have complained that the screening process at office entrances takes too long because security staff are not properly trained and often do not know what to do when someone presents with symptoms.

Moshenyane says employers should speed up the process to ensure that all employees are properly screened by, for example, using Workforce’s network of nurses. There is also an app for this exact purpose, designed by Workforce in collaboration with Healthy Living Consulting (HLC).

Vulnerable employees

Vulnerable employees have certain diseases and weakened immune systems which places them at higher risk of severe illness from Covid-19. Moshenyane says employers have a duty to identify and protect people suffering from conditions such as heart disease, HIV, diabetes, asthma and cancer.

New guidelines from the Department of Labour state that companies with more than 50 employees have to identify vulnerable employees. The Workforce app can help with this, without requiring employees to indicate their specific conditions.

Virtual GP visits

Moshenyane says while employees who have Covid-19 symptoms can go to their own doctors, companies should explore options for virtual consultations that will allow them to monitor whether the employee has consulted a doctor.

Antigen testing

She explains that one of the flaws of screening is that many people with Covid-19 are asymptomatic and do not know they are infected. Therefore she recommends an antigen test that detects Covid-19 infection for high-risk staff members, as it is available within one hour.

Mental wellness

The pandemic has exacerbated many psychosocial issues due to stress, financial stress and grief, says Moshenyane. Employees should have access to a 24/7 Covid-19 support lines, manned by trained counsellors and psychologists.

Track and trace

Should an employee be infected and it is not detected, the employee’s contacts must be traced to avoid further spread of the disease.

2021 risk assessment

A company’s risk assessment will determine the standards for social-distancing and sanitiser availability to reduce the risk of Covid-19 in the workplace. Moshenyane recommends that employers do a new risk assessment in January after re-opening offices that were closed during December.

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