Page 5 - December 2020
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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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