Australia saw its first case of coronavirus in January. From there, the number of infected people has gone up, prompting the government to implement strict lockdown measures towards the end of March. The country has since flattened the curve and is one of the first-world countries with the lowest number of cases.
Because of this, the Australian government has recently announced the plan to gradually relax restrictions so the country can re-open and come out of the lockdown. Prime Minister Scott Morrison called this plan the “Roadmap to a COVIDSafe Australia.”
The plan includes three stages. The first step will enable friends and families to reconnect, allowing gatherings of not more than 10 people. It also includes children going back to school and small retail stores, cafes and restaurants reopening. The second step allows gatherings of up to 20 people and the opening of establishments like cinemas and galleries. The final stage will allow up to 100 people to gather, workplaces to open, and people to travel between states.
All of these will be done gradually, depending on how successful each step will be. With these plans in place, business owners and managers of other establishments need to be ready to reopen their business.
But how should you go about doing this? We have a checklist below.
1. Make sure your business is allowed to open
The gradual lifting of the quarantine may vary from state to state. Establishments allowed to open in Melbourne may not be allowed to open in Victoria yet. So be sure to confirm with your local government that your type of business is in the clear before opening.
2. Prepare your employees
Before opening, you first need to ensure that your team is ready to start working again. Some might still be anxious while others might be excited to get back to work. See to it that they’re available and healthy enough to work. It might also be a good idea not to have them come in all at once. Schedule their shifts so they can develop routines at work again until your operations are back to normal.
3. Check your facilities
With your office having been closed for a while, you might want to check the facilities before reopening. First, inspect your physical store or office for any damage. Your sink and bathroom pipes might have been damaged and require stainless steel pipe fittings. Also check if your utilities, like electricity, water, phone and internet connections are working. This way, you can ensure that your store or office is ready to receive customers and other visitors.
4. Implement health and safety measures
While the country is working towards resuming normal operations, the threat of coronavirus will always be present until researchers and medical professionals find a vaccine. The best thing you and your employees can do is to practice health and safety measures. Remind your employees and customers to keep wearing masks, practice social distancing and improve hand hygiene. Give your employees personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves and always have hand sanitizer and alcohol sprays on hand. Finally, make sure to disinfect your premises regularly.
Coronavirus is still a serious public health threat that you must take seriously. But the measures above might help you start anew and resume your business safely.
