Coronavirus Covid 19: Should More New Zealanders Work From Home?

Not enough is being done to prevent the spread of Covid-19 within workplaces, experts say.

Epidemiologist Dr. Michael Baker said that ensuring strict precautions within the workplace was a vital part of preventing community transmission in New Zealand and that the country did not have much time to lose.

This meant having as many people working from home as possible and mandatory protocols for workplaces that require people to enter the office, Baker said.

In Victoria, employers face fines of A $ 100,000 ($ 108,000) and workers AU $ 20,000 (NZ $ 22,000) if they attempt to circumvent the region’s stage 4 coronavirus lockdown.

Baker said sanctions like this might also be necessary in New Zealand if we start to see broadcasting within workplaces.

He said masks were likely to be made mandatory within workplaces as much was still unknown about the airborne transmission of Covid-19. The World Health Organization has admitted that “airborne transmission cannot be ruled out.”

Professor David Murdoch, an infectious disease expert at the University of Otago, said the more workplaces can be done to stop the spread of Covid-19, the better.

“It’s like another layer of caution.”

He said companies should try to work smarter and, where possible, employees should be encouraged to work from home.

“Some companies will be able to do it and others may have changed forever after realizing that it was in their best interest and that it could actually be more profitable and better for people’s quality of life.”

In May, Australia’s Health Minister Jenny Mikakos told ABC Radio that Melbourne employers would be fined AU $ 100,000 for violating the new workplace instructions.

“It’s enforceable, there are potentially some very hefty fines involved, so if someone were taken to court if they willingly and blatantly violated the legal direction, [it’s] potentially $ 100,000 for businesses, for which significant penalties. “

Melbourne workers who were caught traveling to or from work without their documents could face fines on the spot of up to A $ 1,652, ABC Radio said.

Murdoch said the Melbourne situation “scared us all” and that New Zealand didn’t want to end up in the same boat.

“I think we could be in a situation where we could take desperate measures like [fining], if we go in that direction. “

But he said that New Zealand’s approach was very different from other countries, so maybe we had a little softer regulations at workplaces.

“Our approach has been that if we can work hard to eliminate it, then we can return to a life closer to normal, rather than a slow period of adjustment and alteration.”

“It’s better than going through minimal contact smoldering that doesn’t allow the economy to continue, but it means that everyday life is still quite disturbed for a long time.”