Coronavirus

What is coronavirus?
• Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or
humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections
ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory
Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most recently
discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19.
 How it spreads?
• People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease spreads
primarily from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, which
are expelled when a person with COVID-19 coughs, sneezes, or speaks. These droplets
are relatively heavy, do not travel far and quickly sink to the ground. People can catch
COVID-19 if they breathe in these droplets from a person infected with the virus. This is
why it is important to stay at least 1 meter) away from others. These droplets can land on
objects and surfaces around the person such as tables, doorknobs and handrails. People
can become infected by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose
or mouth. This is why it is important to wash your hands regularly with soap and water
or clean with alcohol-based hand rub.
 What can I do to protect myself and prevent
the spread of disease?
• Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them
with soap and water. Why? Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based
hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands.
• Maintain at least 1 meter distance between yourself and others. Why? When someone
coughs, sneezes, or speaks they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which
may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the
COVID-19 virus if the person has the disease.
• Avoid going to crowded places. Why? Where people come together in crowds, you are more
likely to come into close contact with someone that has COVID-19 and it is more difficult to
maintain physical distance of 1 meter.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. Why? Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once
contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter
your body and infect you.
• Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your
mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used
tissue immediately and wash your hands. Why? Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory
hygiene, you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.
• Stay home and self-isolate even with minor symptoms such as cough, headache, mild fever, until you
recover. Have someone bring you supplies. If you need to leave your house, wear a mask to avoid
infecting others. Why? Avoiding contact with others will protect them from possible COVID-19 and
other viruses.
• If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention, but call
by telephone in advance if possible and follow the directions of your local health
authority. Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date
information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health
care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect
you and help prevent spread of viruses and other infections.
• Keep up to date on the latest information from trusted sources, such as WHO or your
local and national health authorities. Why? Local and national authorities are best
placed to advise on what people in your area should be doing to protect themselves.
 Risk Management in the Industry
• Identify the risks.
- Organizations use risk management to "predict the unpredictable." To navigate the
risks (and opportunities) associated with the pandemic, it is critical to first identify
what those risks are. Indeed, the exceptional circumstances surrounding COVID-19
may have brought to light risks you had not yet considered – or may have imbued
previously identified risks with a new sense of urgency.
• Be agile
- Albert Einstein said "learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The
important thing is not to stop questioning." The world is collectively questioning
everything as we navigate a new normal. The plans that you had two months ago are no
longer appropriate, feasible or realistic for today.
- Do not throw your entire play-book out but instead return to your values and
redefine how you will realize them. Be ready to be uncomfortable. Navigate this period
with flexibility and understanding. Be creative in your approach to moving forward, listen
to what your stakeholders want and need and consider how you can pivot to fill a void.
• Think people
- The backbone of every organization lies in its people. Today people are stressed,
tired, taxed, scared and pre-occupied. The organizational risks associated with
mismanaging your employees in this time can be significant (health and safety, financial,
reputational, legal, operational, to name a few).
- Where then do we start? People generally need to feel heard, they need to be able to
trust and they need to have information. Let your employees know that you have a risk
plan, a business continuity plan, and a crisis plan – and take the time to communicate what
each plan entails and how it will evolve, while also seeking their engagement and input.
• Consider business continuity
- The purpose of business continuity is to ensure that your business is able to survive
a critical incident. It consists of a series of plans implemented over phases to shorten
recovery time and mitigate impact.
• Consult with advisers
- An outside risk management consultant: Can assist you in identifying, analyzing,
evaluating and treating your risks. If you do not have a business continuity, incident
management, risk management or crisis plan, or if the ones you do have are not
working, it is not too late to seek advice to review, improve, create or implement.
- Legal counsel: We can help you navigate new and rapidly changing legislation,
assist you with managing health & safety, employee, regulatory, essential service,
insurance, travel, and contractual issues, to name a few, that present themselves.
- Financial advisers: Can discuss which financial incentives, loans, government
programs, deferrals, etc. are available to you and how can you access them.
- Mental health professionals: Your staff may need support during these times.
Finding a way to get that support to them may prove invaluable.
- Insurance broker: Can help you understand your current insurance policies and
advise whether you have coverage that can assist you and how
• Consider your reputation
- The success stories of COVID-19 will be the people and organizations whose
reputation was improved with their response to the pandemic.