Is COVID-19 and coronavirus the same thing?

Hi back at you and thanks for your timely question…I know many employers are currently fielding concerns from team members around coronavirus and COVID-19.

Rumour and concern typically spread in the absence of accurate and timely information. Our media are experts in exploiting the public’s fear and unfortunately, seem to often take the approach of “if it bleeds, it leads”. Here’s some facts you can share with your employees to cut through the misinformation:

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines coronaviruses as a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. The name comes from the Latin word “corona”, which means “crown” or “halo”, and refers to the shape of the virus particle when viewed under a microscope.

Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people. This is where the media’s “coronavirus/Chinese bat soup” link has its origins.

A novel (new) strain of coronavirus which originated in Hubei Province, China in 2019 has been named COVID-19 (short for coronavirus disease) by the WHO. COVID-19 is a respiratory disease causing symptoms similar to the flu, including fever, cough, sore throat, tiredness or shortness of breath. The disease also spreads from person to person in a similar way to the flu:

• from close contact with an infected person
• from touching objects or surfaces contaminated by the sneeze or cough of an infected person and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

Most people who are infected experience mild to moderate symptoms from which they fully recover. However, some people develop more serious illness with pneumonia and other complications. People at increased risk of serious illness include the elderly and those with chronic medical conditions (e.g. diabetes, heart and lung disease) or a weakened immune system.

According to information provided by the Department of Health, most people who become ill with respiratory symptoms at work are likely suffering from a cold, the flu or other respiratory illness – not COVID-19.

Bare Bones Consulting can help your business with the right communication strategy around managing Coronavirus. Our new COVID-19 Management procedure is the best resource to share with you team to prevent misinformation about the virus and includes:

• Company work health and safety obligations
• General information: coronavirus and COVID-19
• Contraction of COVID-19: at risk individuals
• Prevention of spread of infection at work: employer and employee obligations:
• Currency of information and ongoing communication to employees

This document is a comprehensive resource should you also be required to provide your own clients and customers evidence of processes your business has in place in managing the virus.

Bare Bones Consulting’s policies and procedures are simple, concise, tailored to your workplace and, best of all, they work. Like to know more? Check out our HR audit page or give us a call…we make things easy for you. Now go see if you can find some toilet paper in the shops!