How Are You Going To Prepare For A New Outbreak At Work?

Monday January 24, 2022 12:26

The Government has signalled its plans for managing the above. The Traffic Light System will remain and with the Omicron variant now circulating in Auckland and Nelson districts we have returned to the red traffic light measures. More importantly it has made clear that it will be more “hands-off” this time than was the case with the original variant Covid19 and Delta. Enforced ‘lockdowns” and regional boundaries are off the table for now.

As individuals we will need to take more responsibility for our own well-being; how to identify our risks, reducing the likelihood and consequences of catching Covid and modifying our behaviours to suit changing circumstances in our social and working environments.
We only need to look across to Australia to see the impacts of this latest variant. To ignore what’s happening there, to take this epidemic lightly and assume it can’t touch us is courting disaster. The Government’s Covid website https://covid19.govt.nz has issued advice on how to be ready for Covid19 variants and businesses and organisations need to start preparing for the arrival of Omicron and its likely impact on their daily and long-term operations.

In short, we need to plan. Many of you will have contingency plans for business disruption and these can be adapted to meet the very different impacts of Covid Omicron and the many changes in working behaviours that will be necessary to maintain a new form of working environment.

Full vaccination plus booster jabs will be essential to ensure the health and safety of everyone in the workplace and to minimise the anxiety of exposure to the virus. Our tolerance level for the anti vaxers is way past it’s due date and the general acceptance that it will not be tolerated in the workplace and there will be adverse consequences for employment for those who choose not to be vaccinated.

Protocols require to be developed that outline the new procedures on working arrangements - what should be done and what is not acceptable. These can then be discussed in full consultation with workers and a complete level of understanding obtained.

Of course, the Government can do more to assist organisations in working through the impact of Omicron and hopefully this will be forthcoming in the weeks and months ahead.

Rapid progress needs to be made on the following:

• Booster jabs
• Vaccination of 5 to12 year old children
• Availability of N95 masks and guidance on fitting instructions
• Rapid antigen tests
• Anti-viral medication to treat Omicron

In the interim, we have been given the green light to manage our risks in our own working environment. Given the warning signals from around the world – its time to start now.

Your Securo consultant is available to help and assist you through this process, so please give them a call or alternatively, you can contact Securo head office on 0800 55 33 44.

Please note that all Securo Consultants are fully vaccinated.