42: COVID-19 Prevention Guidance for Employers

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Q: I am a company manager. What should I pay attention to during the pandemic?

 💁Tracy: If possible, try to let employees work from home. However, if some employees have to work in the office, please pay attention to the followings:

  • Educate and communicate with employees (including cleaning staff) on prevention and hygiene practices during the pandemic (please refer to CDC and public health departments for most updated guidelines).  
  • Check the health status of all employees on a regular basis, survey if any employee has COVID-19 symptoms, including cough, fatigue, fever, difficulty breathing, etc. At the same time, check whether any employee has been in contact with someone who is sick and may be asymptomatic. 



  • If an employee indicates that he/she may be sick or have a high risk of infection, consider allowing the employee to work from home or go home for self isolation; current diagnosis and treatment resources are limited and may not be adequate for everyone to be tested; be sure to give employees chances of home isolation to protect all other employees.
  • Follow the most recent and updated recommendations from CDC; encourage employees to use Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) for medical or mental health support if needed.
  • Arrange cleaning staff to disinfect floors, countertops, tabletops, bathrooms, breakrooms, and any other public areas or shared spaces on frequent basis. 
  • Arrange cleaning staff to disinfect shared objects or surfaces, such as inside and outside elevators, faucets, toilets, door handles, water fountain, coffee makers, public printers, etc.



  • If possible, prepare large bottles of alcohol hand sanitizer or alcohol cotton pads (with alcohol concentration > 60%) in easy access places; remind people to disinfect hands and shared objects before and after using them. 
  • If possible, provide disposable or alternative masks for employees; reduce social gathering and physical meetings; encourage everyone to wear a mask.
  • Change all meetings to be made online; if they have to meet and talk, please stay 6 feet apart, minimize the number of participants and shorten the meeting time.
  • Help high-risk employees such as elderly and those who have existing health conditions practice social distancing and preventional hygiene.



  • Encourage employees to take meals in separate time, minimize social gathering or conversing during meal time.
  • If ordering take-outs for food, encourage employees to order together with less delivery personnels arriving at office; practice  hygiene when food or take-outs arrive in office.

References
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html
[2] https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/getting-workplace-ready-for-covid-19.pdf
[3] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html
[4] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/critical-workers/implementing-safety-practices.html
[5] https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources
Writing: Jingyi Xi; Translation: Xiaoming Dong; Proofreading: Shan Chen, Helen Shih, Alice Cai; Artwork: Sun Liu

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