It has been over two years since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, and things have changed dramatically since then. Because of the months of a forced economic slow-down, many businesses are trying to catch up in 2022. Stores are returning to regular hours and operational models, but many of us still have questions about the safety of shopping and its impacts on national health.
If you are a business owner, you have likely had your doors open for some time, and may feel safe enough to lessen or eliminate COVID-19 safety measures entirely. However, it’s important to understand that the COVID-19 illness is still widespread and that not all customers will feel safe in a completely unprotected environment.
The question remains: If things are going “back to normal” in your local area, do you forgo COVID-19 precautions or keep them around to ensure customers feel safer? This question comes down to the expense of the COVID-19 precautions you have in place, the local culture and attitudes surrounding COVID-19, and your business’ personal risk of spreading the virus within its four walls.
If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, you should still be investing in COVID-19 preventative measures such as hand sanitization and complimentary mask stations at your facility:
- Do you operate a medical facility of any kind?
- Does your facility have high levels of foot traffic with few options for social distancing? (Examples include malls, indoor concert venues, and shopping centers)
- Do you cater to children, college students, seniors, or other at-risk populations?
- Does your state still provide strict mask or social distancing guidelines?
- Does the local community still wear masks and social distance as a rule of thumb?
- Is the cost of COVID-19 precautions less than the cost of losing one of your employees for more than two weeks?
COVID-19 is coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth investing in preventative measures if it makes your staff and clientele feel safe. To learn more about ways you can cost-effectively help stop the spread of COVID-19 at your facility, visit our Resource Center.
