Managing Covid-19 is a marathon not a sprint
As South Africa’s reported numbers of new Covid-19 cases decline daily, businesses are urged to keep a close watch on their safety protocols and not to relax their efforts, as a resurgence in active cases could compromise their ability to continue operating under the “new normal”.
In his address to the nation regarding the move to level 1 lockdown restrictions, President Ramaphosa emphasised this point, saying: “We are still in the midst of a deadly epidemic. Our greatest challenge – and our most important task – is to ensure that we do not experience a new surge in infections.”
While the key indicators seem to be encouraging, leading epidemiologist Professor Salim Abdool Karim has also advised caution, saying that several countries that emerged from the first wave of infections were now dealing with a second wave of the pandemic.
“We need to prevent that second wave from happening, which could derail the manufacturing sector, just as the wheels of business are starting to turn again,” says Jendamark director Yanesh Naidoo.
To this end, Naidoo says Jendamark has released its Odin Health app on the market, which was originally developed for daily screening and symptom monitoring among the company’s own employees.
Currently used by a range of companies and their more than 3300 individual employees globally, the app allows users to complete the required daily screening procedures, manage incidents and send and receive critical communications.
“How well is South Africa really doing in the fight against the virus? It is hard to know for sure and many experts have differing opinions, which is why monitoring in your own factory or office is absolutely critical,” says Naidoo.
In fact, health minister Zweli Mkhize has recently stated that new data extrapolated from antibody studies suggests that as many as 12 million South Africans, or roughly 20% of the population, may be infected with the coronavirus.
As new data emerges and models are revised, one thing is clear. As Abdool Karim describes it, the new approach to managing Covid-19 should be as a marathon, not a sprint.
Speaking on a webinar hosted by the ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, he said South Africans should go back to business as usual, provided that the basic prevention strategies of handwashing, mask-wearing and social distancing were followed.
“We have to institute certain restrictions that we are going to have to live with in the long term… We have to live with it, we have to deal with it for several months, if not years.”
Putting simple technology in place to handle the long-term monitoring of employee wellness takes the headache out of daily Covid-19 procedures for the foreseeable future.
The Odin Health app cost is R17 per employee per month, with reduced pricing for large businesses operating at scale.
Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFipiENAFDc
CONTACT
Company: Odin Health / Jendamark
Contact: Natasha Thompson
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://odin-health.com
