The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on our country’s economy, and created significant hurdles for employers and employees. In terms of the guidelines related to the COVID-19 pandemic, your HIV Workplace Policy may need to be adapted, in order to ensure that your employees remain safe from COVID-19 too. In particular, you may need to look at:

• Your HIV/AIDS education and training programmes: Preventing the transmission of COVID-19 between your employees requires that social distancing (of up to 1.5 metres or more) be maintained, and that employees wear masks, where applicable, throughout the office. This may mean you need to switch up your HIV/AIDS education and training programmes. To ensure adequate social distancing, consider conducting HIV/AIDS education and training via online seminars, or in smaller groups that can adhere to social distancing measures.
• Your meeting schedules: To ensure that social distancing measures can be maintained, smaller meeting groups, and possibly a move to online meetings through video conferencing or other technologies, should be encouraged.
• Your office layout: To ensure that social distancing is possible throughout the office, you may need to adjust the workspace of your team. This can have an effect on team projects, and similar programmes, so bear that in mind where possible.
• Your team requirements: To ensure that social distancing can be maintained, you may be required to stagger your team’s attendance at the office, or rotate team members on a schedule.
• Your office facilities: As part and parcel of COVID-19 prevention, regular cleaning and sanitisation of the workplace must be undertaken, with every member of the team taking care to wash their hands regularly, and ensure the workplace remains clean.
• Your team’s individual needs: It should be noted that, according to current research, HIV-positive people who are adhering to their ARV treatment programme, are not at any significantly higher risk for contracting COVID-19, or developing serious health concerns. HIV-positive people who are not aware of their HIV status, or are not on ARV treatment, may be at a higher risk. As an employer, you should encourage your team to know their status, and ensure they adhere to their treatment programme, through your HIV Workplace Policy and other measures.