INTRODUCTION WHAT HAS ISS BEEN DOING? The Coronavirus – now called Covid-19 continues to dominate the news. The figures from World Health Organisation (WHO) as of the 23rd March are;: Globally 332,930 confirmed 14,510 deaths Western Pacific Region 95,637 confirmed 3,473 deaths European Region 171,424 confirmed 8,743 deaths South-East Asia Region 1,776 confirmed 58 deaths Eastern Mediterranean Region 25,375 confirmed 1,741 deaths Region of the Americas 37,016 confirmed 465 deaths African Region 990 confirmed 23 deaths Current risk level in UK: Moderate ISS pandemic stage: 2 Issue: v.4.0 24/03/2020 A coronavirus is a type of virus. As a group, coronaviruses are common across the world. Typical symptoms of coronavirus include fever and a cough that may progress to a severe pneumonia causing shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. Generally, Coronavirus or Covid-19 can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease. Here in the UK, we have been working hard since the end of January to ensure we can protect our employees, our customers and the general public as far as possible. A dedicated ISS Task Force has been meeting every other day over this period to review the situation and consider and implement plans regarding all aspects of business impact, specifically– • Employee welfare – - protocols in case of infection - protocols around self-isolation (including payment terms) - travel considerations • Supplies of essential and emergency materials and equipment • The approach to specialist cleaning especially with regards to our clients who have greater exposure to the situation (eg airports and hospitals) • Plans (BCPs) • Review and refinement of client BCPs and our impact on these • Creation and publication of guidance posters for cleaning, hygiene, PPE, and protocols • Media enquiries and liaison with Trade Unions • Planning for any escalation to the situation Naturally we have been working with Public Health England (PHE) and ensuring we implement the advice given to protect our employees and clients as much as possible - the key piece of advice is still focusing on personal hygiene and especially hand cleaning. PUBLIC GUIDELINES This document outlines how we are preparing for the outbreak of Covid-19. 3
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