Unlike natural disasters or terrorist attacks, pandemics hit a wide geographical area, affecting multiple countries at a time. Since there is little to no prior knowledge or treatment for the virus, the effects also last much longer. Region-specific outbreaks can linger for six to eight weeks, and waves of outbreaks may occur for a year or more. We are currently in the midst of this with the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

How Pandemics Affect Businesses

Around the world, cities and states have issued stay-at-home orders, with countless businesses forced to close. Even if your business is considered “essential” and in operation during this pandemic, you may be experiencing:

  • Absenteeism: Employees may not come to work due to illness or because they must care for sick family members or children who are out of school. Some may also fear exposure in the workplace and choose to stay home.
  • Changes in commerce: Consumer demand for certain items has increased dramatically, while interest in other goods has declined. Online orders and delivery services have also become more popular.
  • Interruptions to the supply chain: Shipments may be delayed or canceled in areas that are more severely affected by the crisis.

How to Maintain Operations During a Pandemic

Whether you run an essential business that has remained open, but may be experiencing the aforementioned effects, or you’re preparing to reopen after your local stay-at-home order lifts, follow these useful tips to operate successfully during a pandemic.

  • Follow all current federal, state, and local health department guidelines.
  • Plan for a reduced workforce, or one that can operate remotely. Cross-train or develop other ways to function with fewer people.
  • Allow any employees who can work from home to do so. Minimize face-to-face contact among those who stay onsite by using email and teleconferencing.
  • Provide soap, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes.
  • Clean work and high-touch surfaces often.
  • Discourage sharing phones, desks, work tools, and equipment.
  • Encourage employees to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) as it is available, including masks and gloves.
  • Require employees who are ill or who have sick family members to quarantine at home.
  • Develop a sick leave policy that doesn’t penalize employees for staying home when instructed.
  • Maintain safe social distancing practices, including standing and/or sitting six feet apart and avoiding hugs and handshakes.
  • Assign a central team to provide information to employees and customers so everyone stays informed during the crisis.
  • Establish proative measures to contain potential outbreaks at your facility as quickly as possible.

During this unprecedented time, DKI is ready throughout the country to assist your company by offering infectious disease control. Whether your facility has been exposed to the virus, or you wish to have it cleaned and sanitized prior to returning to operation after the shelter-in-place order is lifted, we can help maintain a safe environment for you, your staff and customers. By erecting temporary containment solutions and using EPA-registered cleaning products, our teams can reduce the spread of airborne pathogens and viral threats, including the coronavirus.

DKI is fully trained, certified, and equipped with the technology to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 anywhere an outbreak occurs, including apartment complexes, hospitals, nursing homes, malls and retail buildings, schools, hotels, police stations/vehicles, and more.

Call us at 866-277-2977 for 24/7 assistance.