Far from converging, the number of new COVID-19 infections in Indonesia is frequently breaking records. We cannot rest in peace with reports that clusters have also been found in private companies. There is always the worry of what would happen if a positive patient is found among one of your employees, but what should you do? This time, let's take a look at regulations and actual examples of measures to be taken when a positive patient occurs.

[Investigation of behavioral patterns of positive patients]

If a positive patient is found, we will first shut down the entire company since the situation is not yet known. Based on actual examples, it seems that 3 days is the most common time. We will then make necessary communications to related companies and report to the local public health office with jurisdiction over the location. And above all, disinfection. All company premises must be disinfected. Next, we investigate the route of infection and identify close contacts of positive patients based on their behavioral patterns within the company. All survey results will also be reported to the local health office. Based on this, the regional health office will make a decision on the extent of closure and testing. Basically, when working in the same location for a long time, employees who travel to and from that location will undergo a PCR test, and the employee will be required to stay at home for two weeks. If you are unlucky enough to be a forklift operator whose job involves moving products all over the company, this number is likely to increase. They will also receive instructions on how long the company should close and which locations. We recommend that you avoid making decisions on your own, and instead follow the decisions of the local public health office based on the current situation.

[Key to continued operations]

If one day the entire company was suddenly told to shut down for two weeks, this could become a matter of life and death for the company. The most effective method is to find someone who has not seen the person in question for two weeks. If you don't meet someone, you can prove that you are not infected by that person. The usual practice is to apply a shift system in which work does not overlap at all. The company is divided into two groups, and employees are assigned to work half-day, full-day, or weekly. Currently, in the Jakarta area, companies are allowed to operate at a maximum attendance rate of 50%, so it is necessary to properly manage attendance and cut off the route of infection. Even if you are not the positive patient, if you meet another employee who has met the positive patient, this does not mean that the infection route has been broken.

Therefore, it is necessary to manage employees so that they never meet people from other shifts. However, this is easier said than done. There are times when you need to print a document, need someone's signature, etc., and can't do it without coming to work. However, every effort that can be made will reduce the number of closure days. Even if it is not possible to reduce it to zero, it is possible to shorten the calculation by working backwards from the date of the last meeting. Let's manage both the health of our employees and the survival of our company in a well-balanced manner.

Related legislation: 2020 Minister of Health Decision No.HK.01.07/MENKES/328/2020