Infection Prevention Control Community transmission workplace safety Technical

Infection Prevention Control; Community transmission & workplace safety Technical Working Group 23/02/2021 www. euro. who. int

Armenia (as of 23/02/2021) • 166 new cases • 231 recoveries • Total confirmed cases: 170, 672 • Active cases: 4, 366 • New deaths: 4 • Total deaths: 3, 171 • Total tests in 24 hours: 2, 872

Priority Areas • Incident management, planning and multisectoral coordination • Surveillance and risk assessment • Laboratory • Clinical management and health-care services • Infection prevention and control • Non-pharmaceutical public health measures • Risk communication • Points of entry • Operational logistics https: //www. who. int/publications/i/item/preparing-for-large-scale-community-transmission-of-covid-19

COVID-19 protective measures Protect yourself & others Keep your distance Wash your hands frequently Cough & sneeze into your elbow Ventilate or open windows Wear a mask

Fabric Mask wearing • Minimum 3 layers • Predominant protection for others • Contact risk if hand hygiene is not observed www. euro. who. int

Risks of contracting Covid-19 in the workplace • The risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace depends on the likelihood of coming within 1 metre of others • Activities which involve removing masks; eating, drinking. • frequent physical contact with people who may be infected with COVID-19, • contact with contaminated surfaces and objects. • Level of ventilation. https: //www. who. int/news-room/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19 -health-and-safety-in-the-workplace

Risk Assessing workplaces Low exposure workplace: Jobs or work without frequent, close contact with the general public or others Medium exposure workplace: Jobs or tasks with close, frequent contact with the general public or others High exposure workplace: Jobs or tasks with close contact with people who may be more likely to have COVID-19, as well as contact with objects and surfaces possibly contaminated with the virus. https: //www. who. int/news-room/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19 -health-and-safety-in-the-workplace

COVID-19 transmission patterns of health workers Community COVID patients Non COVID patients Assuming availability and adherence to PPE, risk of infections among health workers might depend primarily on community circulation of the virus 10

Measures for all workplaces • Frequent hand-washing • Physical distancing (minimum 1 meter or mandatory mask wearing) • Regular scheduled environmental cleaning & disinfection • Limiting unnecessary travel and face-to-face meetings • Clear posters, reminders, markers of distance Training for all staff on COVID-19 • Clear occupational health policies for symptomatic staff. https: //www. who. int/news-room/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19 -health-and-safety-in-the-workplace

Physical distancing • Should be practical and adaptations made to allow for working • Stimulate workers to comply with physical distancing norms also at events outside the workplace, in the community, and in dormitories. • Staggering of shifts, use of office, breaks to avoid social mixing • If physical distancing measures are not feasible for specific work tasks, consider whether the work can be suspended OR apply additional protective measures (screens, face guards etc). https: //www. who. int/news-room/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19 -health-and-safety-in-the-workplace

“A contact is a person who has had any one of the following exposures to a probable or confirmed case: 1. face-to-face contact with a probable or confirmed case within 1 meter and for at least 15 minutes; 2. direct physical contact with a probable or confirmed case; 3. direct care for a patient with probable or confirmed COVID-19 disease without the use of recommended PPE; or 4. other situations as indicated by local risk assessments” https: //www. who. int/publications/i/item/contact-tracing-in-the-context-of-covid-19

Thermal Screening • Does not detect all COVID-19 cases • May result in use of anti-pyretic medications if fear of consequence • Should be part of a comprehensive package which includes self checking and recording of symptoms • Need for flexible sick leave policies https: //www. who. int/news-room/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19 -health-and-safety-in-the-workplace

Workplace action plan • Should be regularly updated • Consider changes in current national policies and provide training and education for staff on maintenance of workplace measures. • Return to work premises should be carefully planned ahead of lifting of national measures