In light of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak now spreading to more than 80 countries and territories and impacting thousands of people and putting millions of others at risk, OYO Hotels & Homes has today issued an advisory to its global employees.

 

OYO is continuously monitoring the situation, as health and safety of OYOpreneurs remain a key priority. As a result, it is taking the following measures and proposing some recommendations to be executed at the country / hub level, based on the level of the threat:

 

• With immediate effect, non-essential travel to the US, LATAM, Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe, South Korea, China and Japan is restricted. Travel for only business-critical situations will need an executive approval

 

• For domestic travel, OYOpreneurs are encouraged to use caution. They must adhere to local travel advisories and warnings on where not to go. All travel requests must continue to be approved respective business / functional head, as per the existing process

 

• Employees are encouraged to use alternative methods of correspondence, including but not limited to video conferencing or phone calls wherever possible to avoid travel / face-to-face interactions during this time

 

• All OYO markets are advised to set up a task force to continuously monitor the health and wellbeing of our colleagues as well as respond to emergency situations. The taskforce should ideally:

 

• • Keep a list of nearest hospitals, nursing homes and clinics handy for immediate assistance if required

 

• • Properly display contact details of the task force members and emergency numbers for the ease of OYOpreneurs

 

• • Ensure adequate supply of the best quality of hand sanitizer and tissue papers for employees, and disinfectants to maintain the highest levels of cleanliness in OYO offices

 

• • Display posters promoting regular hand-washing, use of masks and avoiding handshakes

 

• • Act as the single point of contact in case an OYOpreneur needs to report any personal or family health-related concern

 

• If an OYOpreneur has visited affected areas in the past 2 weeks for work or leisure, they should immediately inform members of their local taskforce

 

All OYOpreneurs are encouraged to take good care of themselves and their loved ones by taking the following measures:

 

• Avoid making contact with a surface or object that may have the virus and then touching your nose, eyes, or mouth

 

• Maintain an appropriate distance from people who are coughing or sneezing

 

• Keep a close track on Coronavirus symptoms, such as coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath. Consult a doctor for necessary tests / treatment if you feel you may have caught the infection

 

• Postpone or avoid travel to impacted areas in your country, especially if you suffer from chronic diseases or underlying health conditions

 

• Adhere to advisories issued by local governments and health and safety guidelines as prescribed by WHO and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

 

• Continue to adhere to high hygiene standards and cover your nose and mouth with a flexed elbow or paper tissue when coughing or sneezing and immediately disposing the tissue

 

• Perform hand hygiene frequently, particularly after contact with respiratory secretions. Hand hygiene includes either cleaning hands with soap and water or with an alcohol-based hand rub. Alcohol-based hand rubs are preferred if hands are not visibly soiled; wash hands with soap and water when they are visibly soiled;

 

• A medical mask is not required if exhibiting no symptoms, as there is no evidence that wearing a mask – of any type – protects non-sick persons. However, in some cultures, masks may be commonly worn. If masks are to be worn, it is critical to follow best practices on how to wear, remove and dispose them and on hand hygiene after removal.

These are some precautionary and indicative measures to help everyone stay safe at all times. It is, however, strongly advised that if any OYOpreneur feels unwell or displays the slightest symptoms of common cold, cough, flu or fever, they must avoid coming to work, take proper rest and consult a doctor.

The organization will continue to monitor and share further updates, if needed.

 

Team OYO