COVID-19, The Flu, and Your Business
If an employee comes into work feeling sick, can you tell if they have the flu or COVID-19?
How many times have you gone into work sick with illness symptoms or seen a co-worker come to work feeling under the weather? Both illnesses have many similarities, but the bottom line is that if an employee is feeling sick, they should not be in the workplace. Do not put your company at risk for a flu or COVID-19 outbreak; you could have to close your doors and do damage control if serious safety measures are not taken.
Similarities:
- Both can cause fever, cough, body aches, nausea, can result in pneumonia, and can be mild or severe in nature, with the potential to be fatal
- Both spread through tiny droplets that can be inhaled, linger on surfaces and transferred by touching the eyes, nose, or mouth after touching an infected surface, and may take a few days before symptoms appear
- Both cannot be treated by antibiotics, and severe cases can result in hospitalization and require a ventilator
- Both can be prevented from spreading by mask wearing, physical distancing, frequent hand washing with soap and warm water, staying home when you feel ill and avoiding contact with people who have symptoms
- COVID-19 has been reported to cause infected people to lose their sense of taste and smell while sick, while this is not a typical symptom of the flu
- Oral antiviral medications can help manage flu symptoms and shorten the duration of the illness; effective therapies are still being researched for COVID-19 so it is more difficult to manage its symptoms and shorten its duration
- There is an effective flu vaccine available to combat a variety of strains, but there is no COVID-19 vaccine so everyone is at risk for contracting the virus
Get Proactive to Protect Employees and Your Business
Start by implementing new policies and procedures for handling both COVID-19 and the flu. We have developed a COVID-19 Safety Procedures Manual to assist you in managing both in the workplace. This manual provides policies and information on identifying COVID-19 symptoms, implementing safety procedures, educational resources for your employees, and how to handle the situation if there is a positive COVID-19 case in your workplace.
Email us to get your free copy today and for assistance with its customization and implementation!
Nov 1, 2020
COVID-19, The Flu, and Your Business
How many times have you gone into work sick with illness symptoms or seen a co-worker come to work feeling under the weather? Both illnesses have many similarities, but the bottom line is that if an employee is feeling sick, they should not be in the workplace. Do not put your company at risk for a flu or COVID-19 outbreak; you could have to close your doors and do damage control if serious safety measures are not taken.Similarities:
- Both can cause fever, cough, body aches, nausea, can result in pneumonia, and can be mild or severe in nature, with the potential to be fatal
- Both spread through tiny droplets that can be inhaled, linger on surfaces and transferred by touching the eyes, nose, or mouth after touching an infected surface, and may take a few days before symptoms appear
- Both cannot be treated by antibiotics, and severe cases can result in hospitalization and require a ventilator
- Both can be prevented from spreading by mask wearing, physical distancing, frequent hand washing with soap and warm water, staying home when you feel ill and avoiding contact with people who have symptoms
Differences:
- COVID-19 has been reported to cause infected people to lose their sense of taste and smell while sick, while this is not a typical symptom of the flu
- Oral antiviral medications can help manage flu symptoms and shorten the duration of the illness; effective therapies are still being researched for COVID-19 so it is more difficult to manage its symptoms and shorten its duration
- There is an effective flu vaccine available to combat a variety of strains, but there is no COVID-19 vaccine so everyone is at risk for contracting the virus
Get Proactive to Protect Employees and Your Business
Start by implementing new policies and procedures for handling both COVID-19 and the flu. We have developed a COVID-19 Safety Procedures Manual to assist you in managing both in the workplace. This manual provides policies and information on identifying COVID-19 symptoms, implementing safety procedures, educational resources for your employees, and how to handle the situation if there is a positive COVID-19 case in your workplace.
Email us to get your free copy today and for assistance with its customization and implementation! Need help navigating government assistance programs?