It was five years ago this week that “non-essential” UK shops reopened after the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. In this article we will look again at the Covid risk and how employers can improve workplace control of infectious diseases.
Much has happened in the half-decade since the start of the pandemic, and Covid now feels like ancient history to many UK employers and employees. Yet British businesses should remain both mindful and aware of the risks of infectious diseases in the workplace.
Spanish Flu & Covid-19
For Covid-19, like the “Spanish” influenza pandemic of 1918-1920, lives on.
The Spanish Flu is believed to have contributed to more than 17 million worldwide deaths. This century-old disease lives on in milder seasonal variants and remains dangerous to some demographics.
Covid-19 has also accounted for a huge death toll. The global impact is estimated to have led to around 7 million deaths in the five years since the pandemic hit. Yet Covid has a much longer legacy than Flu amongst those that survive it. The numbers suffering from the longer form of the illness – Long Covid – stand at around 1.9 million people in the UK alone. Long Covid is difficult to diagnose and treat as it includes more than 200 different symptoms affecting 10 different body systems.
So Covid, like the Spanish Flu, continues to pose workforce risks as it coexists alongside us.
The new variant
A reminder of this reality was the reporting of a new version of Covid-19 arriving in the UK.
The Independent highlighted that Covid variant, NB.1.8.1, had been identified some 13 times in recent weeks. It is worth remembering that testing for Covid is now no longer routine and it is therefore likely that there are many more UK cases.
Yet there is no immediate cause for concern or alarm. NB.1.8.1 is yet another subvariant of the dominant Omicron variant, a variant that is more transmissible but has (to date) produced less severe symptoms and therefore less risk to those that catch it.
There will however be more variants in the years ahead. Experts believe that Covid-19 evolves more than a dozen times each year. This represents a faster rate of evolution than influenza. It is also worth noting that the World Health Organisation (WHO) continues to report around a thousand global Covid deaths each month. So Covid, like Flu, remains a real and present danger for some.
Revisit plans?
So where does that leave employers?
Human Resources (HR) teams could be forgiven for focussing on seemingly more pressing issues. Yet the reality is that HR teams are charged with ensuring that their employer’s workforce is kept fit, healthy, and risk free. Covid continues to represent a very real challenge to those core objectives.
The sensible response would be to put time aside to review your workplace control of infectious diseases. Given that both Flu and Covid are (mostly) cold-season concerns, the summer months would be a good time for review. Employers may wish to dust-off those 2020 – 2022 social distancing plans and ensure that they are fit for purpose. The government website also continues to include relevant pages for those who wish to refresh their memory on best practice.
Vaccinations
It’s also worth considering vaccination programmes to aid your workplace control of infectious diseases. Flu vaccinations have long been offered by employers to their workers and represent a low-cost preventative measure that many organisations offer annually.
Workplace Covid vaccinations were not readily obtainable during the pandemic. Yet in 2025 they are easily available. Covid vaccinations are however typically four or five times more expensive than flu vaccinations, so HR teams might have to construct a business case to justify the extra spending involved.
Either way, it is clear that Covid and other infectious diseases continues to represent a workforce wellbeing concern. As such HR teams should continue to update and plan for a suitable response if needed.
About Occupational Health Assessment Ltd – a nationwide occupational health provider
Occupational Health Assessment Ltd provides rapid access to expert occupational health support for businesses across the UK. Appointments are available nationwide within two days.
With a unique occupational health assessment service, night worker health assessments, fitness certifications and access to clinics in Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Coventry, Derby, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Northampton, Nottingham, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Reading, Sheffield, Southampton, Stoke, Surrey and more, the business provides high quality, expert medical advice.
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