Going back to work - a new normal

if we want to stop this virus and encourage people to let you know when they have the virus there needs to be an incentive for them to do this. If reporting means isolation for them and their household and hardship people will not report it. So any strategy should include how you will encourage people to admit to having COVID. This could include ensuring companies don’t sack employees or cut wages and allow family members affected to work at home and protect their income. Single parents need to have child care options if isolating. If this is not in place people will not be open and honest when they have the virus. There will be others who use this as an excuse to not work and get paid. So there needs to be strict monitoring to ensure that they are not abusing the system - perhaps a record of the number of times they are off work citing COVID as the reason. Right now I see people with a cough and fever saying oh it’s not COVID - I must have caught something else because to admit it would have meant the husband couldn’t go out and do the shopping and they would have to rely on help. If we want to stop this virus spreading we need to consider this important aspect. As someone who worked in HR I have seen both sides - the chancers who abuse any system and others who go to work no matter how sick they are. I hope this helps and wish you all the very best in dealing with this pandemic. Nicola Sturgeon I think you are awesome and I appreciate your no nonsense approach to media! It’s refreshing to see! We need to stick to the facts and not get involved in scare mongering or get dragged into being critical of all efforts made by the leaders

It’s for me an important aspect which will help to encourage people to come forward and report illness and then isolate as required.