How Coronavirus Spreads In The Workplace
This year, millions of people abandoned the office as governments around the world informed us to work from and stay at home as much as possible thanks to the coronavirus outbreak. These measures were announced as a way to control the spread of coronavirus and protect as many people as possible, as offices were crowded and busy places, which contributed to the spread.
Reducing the contact between employees in the offices wasn’t just a precaution, as previously offices have been found to be prime sites when it comes to the spread of bugs and viruses. If you work in an office, you’re probably familiar with the cycle that comes every winter: someone gets a cough or cold and this is then passed on to almost every member of the office, so you can only imagine how coronavirus would spread.
With this being said, many workplaces still aren’t quite aware of just how coronavirus spreads and the impact it can have on employees. So, here is a quick guide to how coronavirus spreads around the workplace.
The spread of germs
Research has shown that germs, bugs and viruses spread really easily in an office environment. As people usually spend large percentages of their day confined within an office, this means that employees and coworkers are more likely to share spaces and this then increases the chances of germs and viruses spreading.
Many of the high-touch areas in an office space are hotspots when it comes to the potential spread of coronavirus and the more people that touch them, the higher the risk of spread. Places such as handles, refrigerators and light switches are often the worst place when it comes to the concentration of germs. As a result of this, many more workplaces are having specialist cleaning done within the workplace to reduce the risk of the virus spreading, even if they are not fully back in the office, or still have employees working from home.
Once touched, these germs then spread quickly. One study found that after a handle was touched, within two to four hours, almost 60% of employees and surfaces had contracted the germs. Poor office hygiene can also be attributed to this spread, with around 39% of UK office workers not washing their hands properly after visiting the toilet or throughout the day.
Viruses in the air
It is still debated as to whether coronavirus is an airborne virus or not and whilst dirty hands and surfaces are one thing contributing to the spread, the risk of the virus spreading through the air is another. One of the biggest risks in the workplace not from the workplace itself, but from sick or asymptomatic employees coming in and spreading germs without even realising. If one person is sick, then they could easily spread the virus by coughing, touching surfaces Circulated air in offices can also contribute to the spread of viruses and germs, as often in indoor environments, the air is recirculated within air conditioning or heating units.
Keep on washing
The home offices so many of us are now used to are obviously a much more controlled environment, with much fewer people and less shared surface, so you still are better working from home if you can. However, you need to remember that coronavirus is still a huge issue and you are still at risk of bringing it into your home, especially if you work remotely from a cafe, head out for lunch or your family members or partner is still working in an office or workplace environment.
No matter where you are working, you must continue to wash your hands and prioritise cleanliness and sanitisation to protect yourself and others. The only way which viruses grow and develop is when they are in the body, meaning that you need to transfer them somehow and this is most commonly done by touching your face.
