Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed FBC Holdings Limited has resorted to disinfecting its premises weekly as part of measures by the financial services group to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The country’s cumulative Covid-19 positive cases stand at 7,116 including 5, 373 recoveries and 208 deaths.
In their Covid-19 pandemic response strategy and measures published last Wednesday together with the group’s financial results for the six months ended 30 June 2020, FBC board chairman, Herbert Nkala, said they have instituted a number of health and safety measures to protect employees, customers and the community they serve.
“The country has witnessed a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases over the recent past weeks,” lamented Nkala.
“Key to note is that the bulk of the cases are now local transmissions. This development has increased the risk of cases of infection within FBC Holdings and potentially disrupting business operations.”
He said FBC had taken a number of measures to minimise the spread of the disease.
“All office premises are being disinfected on a weekly basis and where there is a reported positive case immediate evacuation of staff, disinfection and PCR testing are instituted promptly,” explained Nkala.
“Further strengthening of these measures is underway by considering the acquisition of automatic sanitization/spray booths and foot baths for entrances. Social distancing, sanitization of persons, disinfection of offices, wearing of masks and other hygiene protocols have been put in place as a matter of policy. In addition, staff in offices that regularly interface with outsiders or customers have been provided with face shields over and above masks.”
Nkala said FBC had since embarked on awareness and dissemination of information to members of staff on Covid-19 adding they have also instituted group-wide testing across all business units for all staff including board members.
He said there were regular tests on a targeted basis in areas that are considered high risk in particular their frontline staff, adding they had since made working from home arrangements with only a restricted number of employees allowed to work on premise while the rest work from off premises.
