Part A
International Quality Certification (IQC) Statement on COVID-19
International Quality Certification (IQC) continues to monitor advice to assess the developments and risks following the COVID-19 outbreak, which has led to safety concerns and travel restrictions that are likely to affect Registration, Verification and Award Ceremonies activities in relevant business both in WorkPlace and Outdoor.
Following the guidance set out in World Health Organization. Both International Quality Certification (IQC) and World Book of Records can find the requirements on how to use information and communication technologies to support and maintain the integrity of the audit/assessment process in IQC Mandatory Document for the Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Verification Auditing/Assessment Purposes).
These measures have been/are being put in place to ensure the health and safety of World Book of Records and Certification Body staff, as well as to maintain robust accredited certification and ensure certified organizations are served in the best way possible.
The advice from governments in relevant economies and other sources to assess the risks will be continually monitored as the situation develops. Situation reports can be found on the WHO website.
International Quality Certification follows Guidelines of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)/Advice for the public
Advice for the public: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
This page includes advice from WHO on ways to protect yourself and prevent the spread of COVID-19. The downloadable infographics below provide guidance on general and specific topics related to the pandemic. Stay aware of the latest COVID-19 information by regularly checking updates from WHO in addition to national and local public health authorities.
Find out more about getting vaccinated:
- Advice for the public: COVID-19 vaccines
Protect yourself and those around you:
- Get vaccinated as soon as it’s your turn and follow local guidance on vaccination.
- Keep a physical distance of at least 1 metre from others, even if they don’t appear to be sick. Avoid crowds and close contact.
- Wear a properly fitted mask when physical distancing is not possible and in poorly ventilated settings.
- Clean your hands frequently with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Dispose of used tissues immediately and clean hands regularly.
- If you develop symptoms or test positive for COVID-19, self-isolate until you recover.
To properly wear your mask:
- Make sure your mask covers your nose, mouth and chin.
- Clean your hands before you put your mask on, before and after you take it off, and after you touch it at any time.
- When you take off your mask, store it in a clean plastic bag, and every day either wash it if it’s a fabric mask or dispose of it in a trash bin if it’s a medical mask.
- Don’t use masks with valves.
More about masks:
- When and how to wear masks
- Questions and answers about children and masks
- Guidance for decision makers and health workers
The risks of getting COVID-19 are higher in crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces where infected people spend long periods of time together in close proximity.
Outbreaks have been reported in places where people have gather, often in crowded indoor settings and where they talk loudly, shout, breathe heavily or sing such as restaurants, choir practices, fitness classes, nightclubs, offices and places of worship.
To make your environment as safe as possible:
- Avoid the 3Cs: spaces that are closed, crowded or involve close contact.
- Meet people outside. Outdoor gatherings are safer than indoor ones, particularly if indoor spaces are small and without outdoor air coming in.
- If you can’t avoid crowded or indoor settings, take these precautions:
- Open a window to increase the amount of natural ventilation when indoors.
- Wear a mask (see above for more details).
- Small public gatherings
- Ventilation and air conditioning (for the general public)
- Ventilation and air conditioning (for people who manage public spaces and buildings)
By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from viruses that cause colds, flu and COVID-19.
To ensure good hygiene you should:
- Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with either an alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water. This eliminates germs that may be on your hands, including viruses.
- Cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Dispose of the used tissue immediately into a closed bin and wash your hands.
- Clean and disinfect surfaces frequently, especially those which are regularly touched, such as door handles, faucets and phone screens.
If you feel unwell, here’s what to do.
- If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention immediately. Call by telephone first and follow the directions of your local health authority.
- Know the full range of symptoms of COVID-19. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, tiredness and loss of taste or smell. Less common symptoms include aches and pains, headache, sore throat, red or irritated eyes, diarrhoea, a skin rash or discolouration of fingers or toes.
- Stay home and self-isolate for 10 days from symptom onset, plus three days after symptoms cease. Call your healthcare provider or hotline for advice. Have someone bring you supplies. If you need to leave your house or have someone near you, wear a properly fitted mask to avoid infecting others.
- Keep up to date on the latest information from trusted sources, such as WHO or your local and national health authorities. Local and national authorities and public health units are best placed to advise on what people in your area should be doing to protect themselves.
Part B
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Working in hotels and other accommodation establishments
Protecting yourself from COVID-19: Working in hotels and other accommodation establishments.
Everyone should follow basic precautions:
- Wash all parts of your hands frequently (at least 20 seconds if using an alcohol-based hand rub, and at least 40 seconds with soap and water), including after exchanging objects such as money or credit cards with guests.
- Cover a cough or sneeze with a bent elbow or tissue and throw away the tissue in a closed bin.
- Maintain at least a 1 metre distance from other staff and guests. This includes avoiding shaking hands. If you can’t guarantee the distance, wear a fabric mask. Be sure to check local and national guidelines on the use of masks.
Staying behind plexiglass boards at reception and concierge desks can prevent droplet transmission.
Teleworking may be a possibility for some jobs, which can help reduce physical contact with others.
In areas where the virus that causes COVID-19 is circulating, staff aged 60 or over, or who have any underlying health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or lung cancer, should wear a medical mask because of their higher risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19.
Staff under the age of 60 and who are in general good health can wear fabric masks when they cannot guarantee at least a 1 metre distance from others. This is particularly important for staff who are in close contact or potential close contact with others. Everyone should follow local policies and regulations.
If a guest at the accommodation develops symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, dry cough or tiredness, staff at the accommodation establishment should contact the local health authority and follow their instructions. The sick person should be isolated in a room, alone, or at least 1 metre away from others, according to local health authorities’ instructions. No visitors should be permitted to enter the room occupied by the affected guest. Staff should also move people traveling with the sick person to a different room, if possible.
It is usually the relevant public health authority, not the management of the hotel and accommodation establishment, which has the authority to demand sick guests to temporarily remain in their room or to prevent them from receiving visits from other guests. National law will guide the rights of the guests to refuse or not the recommended measures.
Staff entering the room of an ill person should maintain at least a 1 metre distance from the ill person, and request that the ill person put on a medical mask.
If staff need to assist an ill guest within a 1 metre distance, they should clean their hands before putting on appropriate personal protective equipment (medical mask and eye protection, gloves and isolation gown), and clean their hands after providing assistance. Training should be provided on how to avoid contaminating themselves.
If staff develop COVID-19 symptoms while at work, such as fever, dry cough or tiredness, they should immediately stop working, put on a medical mask and isolate themselves in a suitable room while medical services are notified. Disposable tissues and an appropriate waste bin with a lid should be available in the designated isolation area while waiting for medical assessment or transfer to an assessment facility.
If staff develop symptoms while at home, they should stay at home and seek medical attention, following instructions from a health worker that will include a period of time for self-isolation away from others, including family members, according to local guidance. The staff member should inform the management accordingly.