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Covid-19

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus.

The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well informed about the COVID-19 virus, the disease it causes and how it spreads. Protect yourself and others from infection by washing your hands or using an alcohol based rub frequently and not touching your face.

How do I keep my employees safe?

To keep workers safe and limit the spread of COVID-19, every employer should do the following at their workplace:

  • Ensure physical distancingby keeping a distance of at least 1.5 metres between people
  • Encourage all workers to frequently wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water or by using an alcohol-based hand sanitiser and to practise good hygiene
  • Be aware of how to spot COVID-19 symptoms(fever, cough, sore throat and shortness of breath) and make sure workers do not come to work if they are unwell
  • Have signs and postersaround the workplace to remind workers and others of the risks of COVID-19 and the measures that are necessary to stop its spread.

 

Changes to your workplace

If it is not possible to work from home or redesign practices, it is vital that no worker comes to work if they have any of the following symptoms:

  • fever
  • cough
  • sore throat
  • shortness of breath

If unwell, workers should contact their primary health care provider, who can liaise with the local public health authority to determine when it is safe for them to return to work.

COVID-19 infection control training

COVID-19 infection control training is a 30-minute online training module for care workers. It covers the fundamentals of infection prevention and control for COVID-19 including:

  • COVID-19 – what is it?
  • signs and symptoms
  • keeping safe – protecting yourself and others
  • myth busting

 

What to do to keep yourself and others safe from COVID-19

  • Maintain at least a 1-metre distance between yourself and others to reduce your risk of infection when they cough, sneeze or speak. Maintain an even greater distance between yourself and others when indoors. The further away, the better.
  • Make wearing a mask a normal part of being around other people. The appropriate use, storage and cleaning or disposal are essential to make masks as effective as possible.

Here are the basics of how to wear a mask:

  • Clean your hands before you put your mask on, as well as before and after you take it off, and after you touch it at any time.
  • Make sure it covers both your nose, mouth and chin.
  • When you take off a mask, store it in a clean plastic bag, and every day either wash it if it’s a fabric mask, or dispose of a medical mask in a trash bin.
  • Don’t use masks with valves.