COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

How Did COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Come About?

Officially named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization (WHO) on February 11, 2020, the respiratory disease is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that was first detected in Central China’s city of Wuhan on December 8, 2019. COVID-19 has then spread to more than a hundred countries with over a hundred thousand confirmed cases. The global mortality rate of COVID-19 is 3.5% as of writing.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) vs Influenza (flu): What is the Difference?

The flu and COVID-19 are both respiratory diseases with similar symptoms, but they are caused by two different viruses. Here are some similarities and differences between COVID-19 and the flu.

In the absence of a medically approved vaccine for COVID-19, people are advised to follow precautionary measures to avoid getting infected and mitigate the further spread of the disease.

How Can Individuals and Households Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus)?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides some recommendations for individuals and families.

Prepare

• Be alert for any update from public health officials regarding COVID-19 in your community.
• Consider household members who are at greater risk such as older adults and those with severe chronic illnesses and take actions to reduce the risk of getting infected.
• Update your emergency contact list that includes household members, community resources, and healthcare providers.
• Follow preventive measures such as frequent proper washing of hands, disinfection of frequently touched objects, and avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Prepare a room that can be used for isolation in case a household member gets sick.

Act (in case of an outbreak)

• The CDC recommends seeking immediate medical attention if you develop these emergency warning signs for COVID-19. However, this list is not all-inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.
  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
  • New confusion or inability to arouse
  • Bluish lips or face
• Practice social distancing or maintaining distance from people as much as possible (6 feet).
• Stay away from others who are currently ill.
• For older adults and those with severe chronic illnesses:
  • Stay at home and away from crowds as much as possible;
  • have several weeks’ worth of medication and supplies if staying at home; and
  • observe good hand hygiene.

How Can Businesses Protect Employees From COVID-19?

The spread of COVID-19 has impacted businesses and industries worldwide, and it is best for employers to determine ways to prevent COVID-19 from becoming an occupational hazard. Businesses and organizations can practice the following to mitigate risks in the workplace:

• Observe proper information dissemination in the workplace and cascade guidelines that employees can follow regarding COVID-19.
• Read and understand the CDC’s recommendation for employers:
  • Employees should be informed and encouraged to stay at home when they’re not feeling well.
  • Employees who are sick or become sick while in the workplace should be separated from other employees and sent home.
  • Educate employees on proper hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.
  • Environmental cleaning should be routine. Frequently touched surfaces should always be cleaned.
  • Employees who travel are encouraged to check out travel advisories from the CDC website and follow the recommendation for each country.
  • Employers should have a risk assessment conducted in the workplace to determine the level of risk of infection and come up with corresponding mitigation.

Tool for COVID-19 Preparedness

COVID-19 is the latest pandemic to impact the world with confirmed cases increasing exponentially everyday. With the absence of a vaccine, the best defence against COVID-19 is to ensure that recommended protocols are followed to prevent getting infected and control its spread. iAuditor by SafetyCulture is a powerful inspection tool that can help make sure that steps are taken to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. With iAuditor, you can:

• Follow recommended steps to prevent the further spread of COVID-19
• Proactively catch areas of concern and act quickly to correct vulnerabilities
• Immediately submit reports to provide updates to intended recipients
• Edit COVID-19 checklists to fit the unique needs of your organization

We have prepared free COVID-19 checklists below that you can use to help you, your community, and your organization prepare for COVID-19.
As we are all working together to contain the spread of COVID-19, we also have COVID-19 checklists in multiple languages: German, Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese.