3. Pandemic BC Execution Stage 3 & 4: Recovery-Resumption

WHO Stage: Pandemic-Transition Phase

The pandemic phase for the country is when the infection is being spread from human to human in larger clusters but is still localised. If the government does not manage to contain the infection within the cluster, multiple clusters will be formed. These clusters will result in a sustained transmission to the entire population, leading to the escalation to the Pandemic phase.

This stage can be lengthy, and a country may suffer several waves of transmission and infection by clusters, as can be seen from the current (as of the writing of this article) COVID-19 pandemic. Countries have been declared 'free of COVID', only to have cases skyrocketing in the weeks and months after as safeguards are relaxed.

Recovery-Resumption (WHO Stage: Pandemic)

The recovery and resumption phases of the BCP stage focus on the recovery and resumption of the organisation’s critical business functions.

The initial focus is to recover time-sensitive critical business functions. As time progresses, there is a need to resume non-critical business functions as they become critical over time. The resumption includes the expansion of the recovery operations.

The challenge is that the Infectious Disease infection may become very highly contagious (as was the case with COVID-19), and it may disrupt other related operations and dependent suppliers and partners. The constant change of the Infectious Disease scenario becomes a moving target for BC planners. Not every infectious disease escalates to the level of COVID-19.

Work Steps: Recovery-Resumption

Local Government

• Reduce the impact of the outbreak on the population.
• Reconfigure health service to support community response in affected areas.
• Activate border management and cluster control.
• Maintain essential services.
• Discourage people from congregating so as to limit human-to-human transmission of the outbreak.
• Slow down and restrict the spread of the outbreak to reduce the load on the healthcare system.
• Maintain tight infection control in healthcare institutions.
• Reduce mortality and morbidity through treatment of all infectious disease-related
• Activate community flu surveillance and relevant cases in hospitals.
• Setup rapid laboratory diagnosis capability.
• Re-route treatment of all cases to designated infectious disease clinics.
• Provide Prophylaxis for the key employees of essential services.
• Provide very strong public communications.
• Conduct contact tracing.
• Restrict movement out of/into the affected area(s).
• Activate social distancing such as closing schools, scaling down normal work and limiting travel.
• Prohibit mass gatherings by closing schools and other places where people congregate.
• Maintain border management.
• Provide support for people who are cared for at home and their families.

Business

• Operation and Continuity of Business
• Continue to maintain essential key products and services.
• Reduce some critical business functions as the outbreak becomes more severe.
• Personnel, Health, and Safety
• Focus on the employees’ welfare and health.
• Continue measures to minimise the introduction and/or spread of Infectious Disease in workplaces (post notices, practice social distancing, manage ill staff members, clean workplace, et cetera).
• Continue re-introduction for employees who are well or are ready to return to work.
• Minimises staff travel as the borders should be closed during this stage.
• Update travel policy for hot spots.
• Monitor quarantine of staff by authorities.
• Provide separation between those who are immunised from those who are not.
• Provide support for employees who are ill and also for their family members.
• Communication
• Maintain communications.
  
  

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