Page 5 - December 2020
P. 5

THE HR PERSPECTIVE














               FOR MONTHS, WE’VE been told that this year’s
               Christmas will be unlike any other.Time will tell
               how different it will be. Even the Queen has
               announced a quiet Christmas dinner for two this
               year with no kids to spread the virus.
                 The home nations are implementing some form of
               Tier restrictions and are extending furlough until
               March 2021. It seems this year’s problems are going
               to continue well into next year. Even with companies
               producing vaccines now, it will be a while before it is
               available to all. It could well be years before we deal
               with COVID-19, and its effects will likely be far-
               reaching.
                 Yet, we are learning more and more about how
               COVID-19 spreads and how we can combat it.
               When it started, the only ‘at risk’ individuals were the
               very young, the old and those with compromised
               immune systems. We now know everyone is ‘at risk’.
               We didn’t know how long the Coronavirus could
               survive without a host to infect—now we do.The
               virus can survive for up to two days on clothing, and
               up to a week on hard surfaces (such as countertops
               and railings). We also know that the virus spreads
               through droplets in which it can survive for several
               hours in the air.To make this worse, air conditioning
               at many indoor locations cycles the air in the
               building, spreading those droplets even faster. A                                         Image: Terri Cnudde via Pixabay
               more recent revelation is that not all those infected
               show any symptoms at all. Not knowing who is
               infected makes COVID-19 a silent killer.
                 Wearing a mask will reduce your chances of    contribute towards both your safety and that of those
               catching the virus, and the risk of spreading it as  around you.
               well. By far the best preventative measure is to avoid  So what does that mean for Christmas? Are
               coming into contact with others.Two metres      Christmas parties a thing of the past? Does Santa
               distancing is only the minimum, not the maximum.  need to quarantine? Has he formed a support bubble
               Much like a car’s seatbelts, airbags, and brakes; while  that means he can’t visit our homes? Instead of an
               none of these measures is foolproof on their own,  in-person party, how are businesses rewarding their
               hand-washing, wearing masks and social distancing  staff this festive season? What happens if the
                                                               alternative turns out to be better than spending









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