Workplaces, carpools become coronavirus hot spots as York Region returns to work

10 tips to combat COVID-19 at work

Yorkregion.com
May 22, 2020
Kim Zarzour

As the local economy begins to reopen, carpooling has emerged as a mini-hot spot for COVID-19 in York Region.

Public health has recorded several cases recently where carpools appear to be the source of coronavirus transmission, according to Dr. Leon Genesove, York public health physician.

It’s one of several areas the region is monitoring closely to ensure the case numbers don’t spike as Ontario begins to reopen businesses, services and public spaces.

While the region’s rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population continues to plummet, York’s medical officer of health says workplace exposures are on the rise.

To combat this, Dr. Karim Kurji says the province has released more than 90 sector-specific guidelines to protect workers and customers. The region also provides resources and guidance on its website, york.ca

Carpoolers face specific risks that require extra diligence, Kurji said.

"Remember that you’re entering a space that does not have good ventilation," he said.

He advises travellers to open windows, wear two-layer cloth masks, keep their distance, disinfect common surfaces and use hand sanitizer before entering or exiting the car.

Tracy Walter, president and CEO of the Newmarket Chamber of Commerce, said the town’s Smart Commute program, which normally advocates for carpooling, has turned to educating employers and carpoolers about how to mitigate the risk during the pandemic.

"The reality is, anyone who is carpooling and taking transit now is doing so because they need to," she said.

Understanding there may be no other option, she said, Smart Commute is advising carpoolers to reduce the number of passengers and take precautions.

"Unfortunately, it’s the small things that people often overlook."

Radio dials should be cleaned, drivers should be the only ones who open and close doors and passengers should not share phones.

York Region is following the lead of the province with respect to opening up for business.

As part of that reopening, the region has begun tracking workplace exposures from the "community transmission category" on its website in order to highlight the challenges that will be faced, Genesove said.

"Early on, we had some essential workplace transmission between workers before it was well understood that workplace crowding would be an issue," he said.

That has been alleviated with decreasing space occupancy, increasing shifts and barriers, and more, but now the region is seeing more transmission into the workplace and in a wide range and variety of businesses.

"We want to keep track of workplace events, to see where it might be moving too fast or too slow in some areas," he said. "This way we can deal with them as they arise and know where the hot spots are."

As well, Kurji recommends everyone begin keeping a journal, recording where you have been, how much time spent and with whom, so that if you get sick, public health can contact your close contacts--your household and anyone you spent 10 minutes with at a distance of less than 2 metres.

Preparing for the back-to-work stage takes a lot of effort to do properly, Genesove says.

"It’s not easy, but we need to be doing this right now and have it in place before opening. We have to work together to keep York Region safe."

Genesove offers more back-to-work guidance:

• Where possible, facilitate work-from-home.

• If an employee is sick, he or she should stay home.

• Regular hand washing should be encouraged and sanitizers provided to employees and customers at entryways.

• Two-layered cloth masks should be worn where possible.

• Frequent cleaning and decontamination should be done on a regular basis, not just after illness incidents.

• Review workplace ventilation systems--especially as we enter hot summer months--to ensure air conditioning is maintained, filters changed and the number of air changes per hour, increased.

• Where there is close contact with customers and staff, physical changes may be required, such as barriers and spacing. Offices, especially, may need one-way hallways and stairs.

• Decrease crowding and limit occupancy by modifying work hours, staggering shifts and spreading out workers

• Consider modifying eating areas, signs, floor markings and curbside pickup.

• Have a plan for when a staff is ill--somewhere they can isolate until they can be safely transported home or to a health-care provider.