Hello Everyone! It’s been almost three months since we witnessed the first cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that has shaken the very foundations of our existence on this planet. What probably originated in a food market in the Wuhan province of China has now spread like a pandemic across many countries all over the world. Countries such as Iran, Japan, Italy, and the United States have been witnessing an exponential rise in the number of people infected by the new coronavirus disease.
All countries need to review their strategies now,” says Dr. Michael J. Ryan, WHO Informal Advisory Group member.
Following WHO Guidelines can save individuals from coronavirus. However, as the world reels into a downward spiral, various organizations have urged their employees to work from home. Some of them have also issued a mandatory order for closing office space for employees and making work from home mandatory for every employee. So, what exactly is the reason behind the widespread panic, and what could be the best ways to work from home?
Let us point out the threat of the coronavirus disease and the different ways in which employees get to work from home. In addition, we shall also try to look at some interesting ways to make the most of your time working from home.
What is COVID-19?
The novel coronavirus disease, also known as COVID-19, started gaining the attention of people all over the world at the beginning of 2020. The primary causing agent for the disease is SARS- CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2). The terminology ‘novel coronavirus’ is suitable for a coronavirus that has not been identified previously.
It is essential to remember that the coronavirus is a family of viruses responsible for causing different types of illnesses ranging from the common cold to acute respiratory infections such as SARS or MERS. Therefore, if a patient is diagnosed with coronavirus HKU1, 229E, OC43, or NL63, then it does not indicate COVID-19 diagnosis. On the contrary, patients diagnosed with COVID-19 are more likely to receive separate evaluation and care than for patients diagnosed with common coronavirus.
Threat of COVID-19
The first course of action to stay safe from the novel coronavirus disease is to understand its threat thoroughly. The foremost aspect that you should keep in mind is the source of the virus. People should know that the exact origin of the COVID-19 disease has not been established clearly.
The coronavirus implies a large family of viruses, out of which some cause illnesses in people, and some affect animals only. However, animal coronaviruses can also infect people and spread to other people. Just like SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), the COVID-19 possibly originated from animals and then spread to people.
The spread of the novel coronavirus disease is primarily due to community spread in the affected geographic areas. With the community spread of COVID-19, people are infected with the virus in a particular area without any idea of how or where they contracted the infection. The risk of spreading the infection increases with coming in contact with an actively infected individual.
Follow the mantra “Stay Safe, Stay Home” and keep yourself secure from the coronavirus!
Symptoms of COVID-19
Awareness about the symptoms of the novel coronavirus disease is also a helpful tool in the battle against COVID-19. The reported cases of COVID-19 have shown mild to severe symptoms with deaths in certain confirmed cases. The symptoms of COVID-19 can appear from 2 to 14 days after exposure. Here are the symptoms that can indicate an infection of COVID-19.
- Fever.
- Cough.
- Shortness of Breath.
Furthermore, you should also look out for emergency signs of COVID-19 for ensuring better protection against the new virus. The emergency warning signs for COVID-19 include the following.
- Difficulty in breathing.
- Persistent pain in the chest.
- Inability for arousal.
- Bluish lips or face.
Essentials for Protection against COVID-19
Presently, there is no specific treatment for the novel coronavirus disease. The best way to avoid infection with COVID-19 is to avoid exposure to the virus. Here are some of the recommended best practices to ensure your safety from the new worldwide pandemic.
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Cleanliness is Godliness
Clean your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after being in a public place or after coughing or sneezing. You should use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available. Avoid touching your face, mouth, nose, and eyes with unwashed hands.
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Care for the Safety of Others
You can contribute to the safety of others by covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or handkerchief while coughing or sneezing. Dispose of the used tissues and wash the handkerchief regularly.
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Know When to Wear a Mask
Wear a facemask if you are infected with COVID-19. Remember that only an N95-grade mask is ideal for safeguarding against the novel coronavirus infection. You don’t have to wear a facemask if you are not sick. However, if you are caring for someone sick, then you have to wear one.
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Special Attention to High-Risk Individuals
Individuals at higher risk of contracting the novel coronavirus disease include children, pregnant women, people aged above 70 years, and people with severe chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart diseases. High-risk individuals should avoid social contact as much as possible and stay indoors.
How Should You Use Your “Work from Home” Time?
As the world continues its battle against the novel coronavirus diseases, companies all over the world are assigning work from home responsibilities to employees. The primary motive of this measure is to restrict the spread of COVID-19. However, work from home is a drastic change for many employees accustomed to the office environment for working.
Many employees are struggling to carry out their office work from home without any idea of using their time. Now, you should remember that work from home offers you a unique opportunity to rediscover yourself. Here are some of the interesting ways in which you can use your time working at home as productively as possible.
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Spend Time with Your Family
Work from home, Work with family! By working from home, you get the opportunity to interact with your family. Actually, you get the whole day to spend with your family while completing your office responsibilities. You can use this time to tell some stories to your kids or have a meaningful conversation with your parents. However, never compromise on safety measures, even if you are at home.
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Find “Stability” in Your Life
Work from home also saves you from unwanted exposure to the COVID-19 virus during your commute to work. In addition, you can save a lot of time that gives you additional opportunities to try out new things. A hobby that you might have put on the shelves due to a busy professional life can come back. You can also use the additional time to check on your loved ones and make sure that they are safe. Most important of all, you get a sense of stability that allows you to go beyond your potential.
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Use the Free Time for Learning and Skill Development
Learning is the best use of the time you’re saving from traveling! Once you are done with your office work, you can engage in learning activities. For example, you can go for the Whizlabs online training courses and practice tests. Presently, we’re offering a flat 50% discount on all our courses. You just have to apply the coupon code, “WHIZSITE50” at the time of checkout to get the benefits of learning with convenience.
“So, don’t panic, invest the time to upskill yourself”
“If life throws lemons at you, make lemonade.” Nothing could be more apt than this line in the present situation. If COVID-19 has forced you to stay home, then you can use the time to improve your technical expertise and upskill yourself.
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Plan for a Better Career
As it is being advised to stay at home and avoid going outside, you can plan for a better career! You can go through the certifications list as per your working domain and start preparing for the one. If you have already started preparing for any certification, you can give more time to study and schedule your exam.
You can also use the work from home situations to take your career one level up while staying at home. However, you should binge responsibly without neglecting your personal health and hygiene.
Stay Clean and Stay Safe at all times!
The Fight against COVID-19 is a Combined Effort
Now, you can go ahead and try to enjoy your work from home with the above-mentioned pointers. If you thought that working from home will restrict you, then you might want to reconsider that opinion. The above-mentioned discussion clearly reflected on the impact of the novel coronavirus disease and the proven ways to stay safe.
People should follow the guidelines issued by the national government for safeguards against COVID-19 at all times. In addition, responsible behavior in work from home settings such as timely reporting, completion of all assigned duties, and consistent interaction with managers is also essential in the present times.
Let’s Stand Together Against COVID-19!
This is a very tough time for all of us. Every effort towards preventing COVID-19 is worth a billion dollars for the world right now. As responsible citizens, take all the precautions and avoid going out in public until and unless it is absolutely necessary.
Stay Strong, Avoid Stigma, Refrain from Misinformation, and we can together bring back the beautiful world we all know and live in!
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