Pandemic preparedness crucial to planning

The spread of coronavirus disease Covid-19 has triggered panic across the globe due to its ease and speed of transmission and interruption of activities.

The need for isolation of patients and risk of imported cases among travellers has fuelled fear and adversely affected the global economy.

The growing concern about coronavirus is that being new, there is no known vaccine or cure or specific treatment plan for it. Save for the few reported recovered patients, nobody has natural immunity against the virus.

While most business entities rely on risk management teams for contingency planning, all organisations need risk and crisis management plans to survive severe business and operational interruption.

Disruption by a pandemic is only comparable to civil unrest or a natural disaster. An outbreak can result in restricted travel and quarantine running into weeks or even months.

Business continuity planning must consider all factors that would significantly affect an organisation’s income, consumers, workforce, distribution channels, supply chains, and communication.

The most severe impact of a pandemic on an organisation is reduction in sales and operational income. The buying power of a quarantined population would also decline significantly as most people rely on wages paid for hours worked from casual or contract jobs. An organisation needs to prepare for different scenarios, including how to meet its operating costs during periods of suppressed income.

Human capital contingency planning is another critical factor. Succession plans and devolved decision-making capabilities, as well as flexible work schedules, must be developed and enhanced to facilitate productivity and business sustainability.

For groups without health insurance cover, options to cater for medical expenses of employees and their dependants should be considered.

An equally critical aspect is the impact of an outbreak on the ability of employees to commute to workplaces. An alternative logistics plan must be developed and alternative transport options arranged. In addition, an up-to-date contact list of all employees, area of residence and alternate contacts is absolutely necessary.

Provision of remote access capability would minimise travel and enable staff to work from remote sites, especially home.

An organisation must also assess its supply chains and ensure that it has alternative options for services or products. It must also evaluate the resilience of its distribution channels and anticipate alternatives to ensure that products and services are conveniently delivered.

Hospitals and other medical institutions, including first responders, require higher levels of preparation and resilience to meet increased demand for testing and medical services and psychological support for a frightened public. This includes training and personal protective equipment to safeguard healthcare and other frontline workers and patients.

Organisations must therefore plan and test their contingency and crisis management plans, and nurture partnerships to enhance resilience.