Thread by @PeteUK7

I run a small business.

We're a Covid conscious company.
We:
🏠 Minimise working together (allow WFH)
🔲 Monitor CO2
🌪️ Have air filtration on timers
😷 Provide 3M Aura masks
🧪 Have LFTs (& will buy them)
💷 Provide paid sick leave for isolation/illness

It's not hard.

1/🧵

Taking each point in turn, here's why we do what we do:
🏠 We allow people to WFH when poss to try to minimise interactions between staff. A few workarounds were needed.
Why--we care about our staff & their families back home & allowing this flexibility helps to reduce risk.
2/

🔲 We monitor CO2 because it gives us a good proxy for risk. We know that if the CO2 level builds we need to open windows & doors & sometimes use a fan to force extraction. Target 600ppm CO2.
Why--because it lowers the risk to our staff to reduce the amount of shared breath.
3/

🌪️ We have filtration on timers. We've made our own DIY filters with @3M filtrete panels on pedestal fans for easy deployment & portability. We have them on wi-fi timers to start an hour before we enter and run and hour after we leave.
Why--because it massively reduces risk.
4/

😷 We provide free 3M Aura FFP2 masks. We've found them to be the best-fitting & most comfy masks. Worn when any 2 or more people share indoor air. Nobody has any issue wearing them as we care for each other.
Why--high quality masks reduce aerosol expelled into air & inhaled.
5/

🧪 We encourage people to use LFTs if they suspect exposure, feel symptoms or have been in a high risk environment. When they are no longer available from Gov't, we will buy them & supply to staff.
Why--because it is the only way to provide feedback on infection status.
6/

💷 We provide paid leave for people to isolate if they are positive and also if they remain ill.
Why--because we care for them and don't want the to lose out on their income but also because we want to protect every other person who works in or enters our workplace.
7/

We take other measures too like being careful when we have deliveries or collections. Nobody can enter unmasked.
I want my staff to think - AIR QUALITY first.
How do we control what we breathe and how do we reduce risk to anyone in our environment.
8/

The effect of all this. Well so far, everyone has remained free of Covid. People actually feel safe at work and valued.
We don't want illness--we can't function as well and we recognise the potential for Long Covid. If we can reduce that risk--we absolutely should.
9/

So I want to encourage every business to be a #CovidConsciousCompany.

It took some thought & a few changes to the way we operate. It costs us a few £ to keep the safety measures in place.

But it isn't hard.
It is the right thing to do.
Every business should do it.

10/end