Coronavirus

[Grays_1890]

How do they define 'mental health reasons' btw?

"I'm sick of looking at these same four walls"?
"My missus and kids are driving me up the wall"?
"I can't have a cheeky pint at lunchtime at home"?

You have to weigh that up as a boss

We did a personal survey of 120 staff early with no one complaining of any potential issues but we knew from setting up a solid secondary buddy system that over a 3rd were struggling with mental health. People don't talk about it and it comes in so many forms you have to take a lead and do what you feel will be beneficial to their mental health.

I will give you an example. We have a pretty introverted American girl, lovely but doesn't really socialise etc. Lived alone for ages and keeps her own company. She has been one of the worst affected by not coming into office despite her natural personality. So its so hard to judge

 

[Grays_1890]

Its got nothing to do with the weather. Its got everything to do with people’s willingness to recognize, believe in and most importantly follow scientific advice. Australians are far more willing to do as they're told compared to English or Americans. Hence why our dystopian lockdown has worked after a long few months. Covid is as contagious in Australia as it is in Delhi or Denver, its the same virus.

Boris said that yesterday and was ripped a new one but I agree. Germans will more likely do what they are told than us, its a fact of life

 

[Grays_1890]

The disease of the elderly? That’s the problem with a novel virus. No one really knows what’s coming next.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...nd-wave-of-covid-in-uk?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

In terms of death rate 100%.

No one ever argued that younger people are not getting it but the older are at a greater risk, that article says the same thing.

 

[glorygloryeze]

You have to weigh that up as a boss

We did a personal survey of 120 staff early with no one complaining of any potential issues but we knew from setting up a solid secondary buddy system that over a 3rd were struggling with mental health. People don't talk about it and it comes in so many forms you have to take a lead and do what you feel will be beneficial to their mental health.

I will give you an example. We have a pretty introverted American girl, lovely but doesn't really socialise etc. Lived alone for ages and keeps her own company. She has been one of the worst affected by not coming into office despite her natural personality. So its so hard to judge

I agree there are certainly mental health issues that have arisen and been exacerbated by the lockdown etc. I'm expecting the christmas and new year period to be hellish for suicide figures, especially for the under 35s...yes, i know is sound like Ferguson...

I was just interested in how other sectors are trying to tackle it (and whether it's more of a token gesture hence my cheeky quips!)

 

[glorygloryeze]

Boris said that yesterday and was ripped a new one but I agree. Germans will more likely do what they are told than us, its a fact of life

Again, people keep talking about some countries having more 'obedience' than the UK etc, but Germany have had massive anti-lockdown protests as well - and we know how much less cases/deaths they've had (leaving aside the inconsistencies of the testing regime worldwide and the inaccuracies that can often come with the PCR test itself..)

 

[Grays_1890]

I agree there are certainly mental health issues that have arisen and been exacerbated by the lockdown etc. I'm expecting the christmas and new year period to be hellish for suicide figures, especially for the under 35s...yes, i know is sound like Ferguson...

I was just interested in how other sectors are trying to tackle it (and whether it's more of a token gesture hence my cheeky quips!)

Yeh was not digging you out, saw it as a genuine question.

We are taking it very serious, as directors of our company we see it in our own lives so we know its likely happening out there with staff living on there own, I think your four walls comment is spot on. During lockdown people sat at home with nothing but the four walls becoming more and more familiar too them was something we heard alot of.

As humans its just nature that we are not tuned to be locked up at home for so long.

Like you Christmas and New Year twinned with job loss and further uncertainty in life is going to leave a trail of issues that come next Spring we are going to count a huge cost, I truly believe that. Its not a case of just stay home, do your bit and we will get through this, many people wont.

 

[Grays_1890]

Again, people keep talking about some countries having more 'obedience' than the UK etc, but Germany have had massive anti-lockdown protests as well - and we know how much less cases/deaths they've had (leaving aside the inconsistencies of the testing regime worldwide and the inaccuracies that can often come with the PCR test itself..)

Yeh but protests are different from day to day rule breakers. People that break rules regular dont go on protests about being held back, they just do what they wanna do regardless..

 

[glorygloryeze]

Yeh but protests are different from day to day rule breakers. People that break rules regular dont go on protests about being held back, they just do what they wanna do regardless..

There's people who break rules (criminals perhaps for examples) and there's people who think the rules/laws are wrong. There is some crossover and i'm more focussing on the latter group (as would the government tbh as these are more a threat)

 

[Grays_1890]

There's people who break rules (criminals perhaps for examples) and there's people who think the rules/laws are wrong. There is some crossover and i'm more focussing on the latter group (as would the government tbh as these are more a threat)

The point I am making though is not about criminal rule breakers, your average brit who would have a BBQ with his mates will do so regardless and will also not care about protesting to do it. Your day to day Brit is less inclined culturally to follow rules than your German. Sweden stuck their neck on the line with their idea of no strong lockdown based on the fact they can trust their public to follow the rules they put in place to contain the virus, its argued we did not follow suit because the density of our population but also the fact culturally Scandis are more likely to follow the rules sensibly, we are not so

On another tangent I just read the Government has identified that the UK has hit a Covid Fatigue where we are not wanting to stay locked down anymore and we are starting to weigh up the pros and cons of an alternative norm. Thats where I am TBH, the idea we do this for another 6 months scares me and its not about where we are now its where we are likely to be then. Huge worry for me

 

[glorygloryeze]

The point I am making though is not about criminal rule breakers, your average brit who would have a BBQ with his mates will do so regardless and will also not care about protesting to do it. Your day to day Brit is less inclined culturally to follow rules than your German. Sweden stuck their neck on the line with their idea of no strong lockdown based on the fact they can trust their public to follow the rules they put in place to contain the virus, its argued we did not follow suit because the density of our population but also the fact culturally Scandis are more likely to follow the rules sensibly, we are not so

I actually think that's a lot of myths in terms of 'lots of Brits are breaking the rules'.
Hardly any are with regards to distancing etc and if you look at the areas that have seemingly seen highest increases in cases they are the densely populated places where distancing is almost impossible due to lack of space etc. Those are the areas that tend to be be where people are wagging the fingers, but that's more infrastructure issues rather than outright lawbreaking.

When you look beyond that, you then get to the policies that the government and scientists have come up with to help "control the spread" such as mask-wearing; these are the bits where people who don't think those measures are backed up consistently with science come in and hence protest about such things. Like they have been doing in other places, such as Germany (in a way, more so), Australia, USA etc.

Hence, why i don't buy the myth that "Brits are less likely to follow the rules"

 

[Grays_1890]

I actually think that's a lot of myths in terms of 'lots of Brits are breaking the rules'.
Hardly any are with regards to distancing etc and if you look at the areas that have seemingly seen highest increases in cases they are the densely populated places where distancing is almost impossible due to lack of space etc. Those are the areas that tend to be be where people are wagging the fingers, but that's more infrastructure issues rather than outright lawbreaking.

When you look beyond that, you then get to the policies that the government and scientists have come up with to help "control the spread" such as mask-wearing; these are the bits where people who don't think those measures are backed up consistently with science come in and hence protest about such things. Like they have been doing in other places, such as Germany (in a way, more so), Australia, USA etc.

Hence, why i don't buy the myth that "Brits are less likely to follow the rules"

Its not a myth though, there are studies out there on the subject. Brits are less likely to comply with rules than Italy, France and Germany. Scandi are miles ahead of them, then you look into Asia and people are so scared they follow anything the head honcho tells them, generally.

Someone in government according to a report has said the 50,000 figure thrown out about infections was a lie to scare people into following rules because people are now just feeling that the rules, thats how bad its got, they are having to over estimate the infections to scare people into following rules

 

[glorygloryeze]

Its not a myth though, there are studies out there on the subject. Brits are less likely to comply with rules than Italy, France and Germany. Scandi are miles ahead of them, then you look into Asia and people are so scared they follow anything the head honcho tells them, generally.

Ok, i'm open to seeing this information. Do you have any links to such?

 

[Grays_1890]

Ok, i'm open to seeing this information. Do you have any links to such?

Ok I will grab it from my laptop later on, we collated it for work project. Its a Rule of Law index where they collate which countries follow laws of the land, we are not even in the top 10 which is headed by most of our closest European neighbours. Unsurprising Canada rank higher too

This is an interesting read also on the subject

https://www.dw.com/en/poll-majority-of-germans-in-favor-of-stricter-covid-rules/a-54728370

 

[Diamond Lights]

Ok I will grab it from my laptop later on, we collated it for work project. Its a Rule of Law index where they collate which countries follow laws of the land, we are not even in the top 10 which is headed by most of our closest European neighbours. Unsurprising Canada rank higher too

This is an interesting read also on the subject

https://www.dw.com/en/poll-majority-of-germans-in-favor-of-stricter-covid-rules/a-54728370

Hardly surprising when our Govt publicices they'll break international law.

interesting that all the countries ranked higher on the Rule of Law Index also happen to have improved press freedoms per the free press index done in the same vein. Wonder if there's a correlation there...

 

[Grays_1890]

Hardly surprising when our Govt publicices they'll break international law.

interesting that all the countries ranked higher on the Rule of Law Index also happen to have improved press freedoms per the free press index done in the same vein. Wonder if there's a correlation there...

Could be who knows

We have ranked low for years before the international law break.

I personally believe as a nation we believe ourselves to have a greater sense of freedoms than many others, if thats an arrogance or something again who knows. For me I feel the result of the war and the idea we fought for our freedoms plays a part, yeh we won our freedoms but its what you do with it that defines you.

For me I look at keeping the law more to define the person I want to be and to be a good neighbour etc rather than look for guidance on how I should act.

I find people that break the law generally look for an excuse to why they did it, not many that I know of hold their hand up and say it was on them, so to blame the government for an illegal brexit may surprise me It would be inline with the criminal mind to blame someone else.

 

[glorygloryeze]

Ok I will grab it from my laptop later on, we collated it for work project. Its a Rule of Law index where they collate which countries follow laws of the land, we are not even in the top 10 which is headed by most of our closest European neighbours. Unsurprising Canada rank higher too

This is an interesting read also on the subject

https://www.dw.com/en/poll-majority-of-germans-in-favor-of-stricter-covid-rules/a-54728370

Thanks. I'll look at this and am intrigued to see your other stuff.

 

[Legohamster]

So after day 1 we are already massively under Whitty and Vallances prediction lol

 

[glorygloryeze]

So after day 1 we are already massively under Whitty and Vallances prediction lol

Doesn't matter, the horse has bolted now (as it had after Ferguson and his predictions).

Lockdowns are the new political drug/aphrodisiac now and the powers from them aren't going to be given up anytime soon...

 

[Legohamster]

So care homes/disabled people (some are both) are making the majority of the deaths

the fact the Gov has let this happen is an absolute disgrace when they are the easiest groups to look after

 

[glorygloryeze]

https://www.thehrdirector.com/featu...ecting-businesses-as-offices-begin-to-reopen/

How technology can protect businesses as offices reopen
ARTICLE BY: Matt Rushall, Managing Director - Videcon | Published: 21 SEPTEMBER 2020

THE LATEST EASING OF LOCKDOWN REGULATIONS BY THE PRIME MINISTER MEANS THAT FROM THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST, BUSINESSES ACROSS ENGLAND CAN PREPARE THEIR WORKERS TO HEAD BACK TO WORK WITH THE REOPENING OF OFFICE BUILDINGS TO HELP GET THEIR BUSINESSES RUNNING AGAIN AND KICKSTART THE ECONOMY.

Despite the easing of restrictions, many businesses have been wary to push employees to return to the office, with a recent survey from The Guardian showing that only one out of three workers in England have returned to the office. This is much slower than their counterparts in France, Germany, Italy or Spain.

Though there are many factors that could impact a slow return to the workplace, statistics from finance specialists Canada Life showed only 41 per cent of workers felt positive about returning to the office, which could show a lack of confidence in their employers to keep them safe when they get back to work.

For the offices that have taken the option to reopen their doors, it is the responsibility of the employers to ensure that the correct safety processes are in place. and if it is safe for employees to return.

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, it is the duty of all employers to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees and others affected by their operations. This means that if measures are not in place to reduce the risk of infection from COVID-19, businesses could be liable for damages if an employee were to catch the virus at work.

The current test and trace system means that anyone who has been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 must self-isolate for 14 days. This means that if an employee catches the virus, either at work, or elsewhere, an entire business could need to close its doors until it is verified to be safe to reopen. If measures aren’t in place to limit the spread of infection, businesses could risk the length of time they are to be closed if an employee tests positive for COVID-19 as more people could be at risk of infection.

As such, many business owners and managers are looking to new technology solutions to help assist with getting employees back to work as safely as possible.

Access control to limit those that could be infected coming into the workplace

There has been an increase in the development of a range of technologies based around access control and thermal reading to ensure minimal contact between staff who may have symptoms.

For example, Videcon have developed a non-contact access control system called Thermi-Scan, which uses a combination of five selectable safety measures including face recognition, body temperature, face mask detection, QR code or card and fob access. Thermi-Scan can deny access to anyone with an abnormal body temperature, those not wearing required personal protective equipment or unidentified people (through facial recognition and QR codes). The system also has customisable features to suit the preferences of the user and has the ability to integrate with existing access systems to allow businesses to easily identity people who may have potential symptoms and allow access to their premises on their own preference.

Mass Thermal Screening to limit the spread of infection in busier places

A heightened temperature has been widely identified as one of the main symptoms of COVID-19, but identifying such an individual, especially in a much larger workspace, and throughout a working day makes it increasingly difficult, like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Videcon have developed a mass thermal imagery tool called Thermi-Screen, which can calculate the core temperature of up to 40 people at once with the accuracy of ±0.3°C. Using Videcon’s advanced facial recognition, the system measures the body temperature from two parts of the face, preventing any false reading. Thermi-Screen then sends out alerts if an abnormal temperature is detected, helping to identify people with potential COVID-19 symptoms.

Thermi-Screen can be implemented in busier entrance foyers, public spaces, or common high-traffic areas (like corridors) and gives managers and employees peace of mind that anyone at risk will be identified.

Face Covering Detection to make sure employees are complying with company and national regulations

The gradual easing of lockdown measures across England has seen face coverings become mandatory in various settings. From supermarkets to weddings, face coverings are quickly becoming the new normal in society.

Despite the ruling and the running risk of being fined for not having a face covering, businesses are struggling with the increasing

Though a mandatory accessory, it is clear that businesses are struggling to shoulder the responsibility of enforcing the ruling to keep other customers and staff safe.

Covered is a new, cost-effective mask detection system that ustilises Videcon’s own deep learning system to identify a person within a set area and check if they are wearing a mask over their mouth and nose. The system comes with a customisable digital display and allows for a range of notification options to suit the user from subtle audio warnings to staff through to controlling access to the premises.

Simple Measures to keep everyone at ease

It’s safe to say that the workplace will never look the same as it did previously. But aside from the implementation of smart technology, it’s important that simple measures are also implemented such as supplying face masks, hand sanitiser, and cleaning products, as well as putting up signs encouraging social distancing can be an easy way for employers and business managers help keep workers safe and at ease.

Whilst these may be optional to use, making such equipment available, and encouraging employees to sanitise their desks regularly means less chance for the virus to spread, especially in common meeting areas.

Better safe than sorry

It is easy to make assumptions that employees are following guidance, and doing what they need to do to limit the spread of infection, but it is still advisable to managers to ensure they have done everything in their power to limit the spread of infection in their workplace. From putting up signs, to investing in smart technology, it is a business manager’s responsibility to ensure all their employees feel safe enough to come into work.

For more information on technology solutions, and to talk to an expert about the safe return to the office, visit https://www.videcon.co.uk.