eSolia COVID-19 Post-State-of-Emergency Support Stance

How is eSolia continuing to handle support during COVID?

Author(s): Cogley, Fukuoka
Date: 13-Jan-2021

A state of emergency (SoE) was declared again in Tokyo and its neighboring three prefectures on 8th January 2021. This post will explain eSolia’s approach and policy.

This time, the SoE is focused more on restaurant businesses, however the the main messages of “social distancing” and “avoid the 3 Cs (Crowded places, Close-contact settings and Closed spaces)” continue. Please take thorough preventive measures against the spread of COVID-19 based on “New Corona Prevention lifestyle” and “COVID-19 Infection Prevention Handbook for the General Public” (17th December 2020) issued by the government (English Version). Our staff are asked to adhere strictly to the following regarding eSolia’s system and when visiting clients onsite.

1. eSolia's system—state of emergency



	Stage3	Stage4	Stage3	Stage2
	Status: Wide spread of COVID-19	Remote Work Status: State of emergency declared (shortage in hospital beds, increasing number of PCR positive cases)	Remote Work Status: Wide spread of COVID-19	Remote Work Status: Continued improvement in testing, tracking, treatment and medical care
Estimated period	Through 7 Jan 2021	8 Jan to 7 Feb 2021	ー	ー
Wear face masks and disinfect hands and fingers at client sites	Implemented	Implemented	Implemented	Implemented
Jobs that require onsite visits to client	Implemented	Implemented	Implemented	Implemented
Remote work	Implemented	Implemented	Implemented	Implemented
Client service	Web meeting / remote work recommended	Consider according to the client’s visitor policy	Consider according to the client’s visitor policy	Consider according to the client’s visitor policy
Meeting (in-house and outside)	Web meeting	Web meeting	Web meeting recommended	Web meeting recommended


❋ While responding to client’s requests, please try to ask for their understanding of utilizing more remote support and adopting staggered visiting hours to prevent infection.



2. Code of conduct for onsite visit
• Take body temperature and check your health condition every morning. If you feel unwell, avoid visiting clients onsite.
• Please observe each client’s guidelines for infection prevention measures. Each individual may feel differently towards infection prevention measures and COVID-19. As a member of eSolia, please keep your behavior consistent with the company’s policy of infection prevention measures, and take care regarding your words and actions.
• Be sure to follow the other precautions required by clients at their location.
• Keep social distancing at the client’s site: when working onsite, make sure to keep physical distance between the accompanying engineers and the end user.
• Wear a mask (carry a spare mask). eSolia will provide masks for use at the IT area at the client.
• Wash hands (carry sanitizing hand wipes and disinfectant spray). *eSolia will send antiseptic solution to the site with the client’s permission for use at the IT desk.
• Practice proper cough etiquette.
• Limit the number of visitors to client: up to two people max.
• Ventilate the work area frequently, checking with the client.
• When visiting a client all day or when you are required to take a break during the visit, avoid having a break together with colleagues. Take turns to take a meal or break as much as possible.
3. Daily life
• Refrain from going out after 8pm unless absolutely necessary, and avoid the 3Cs. When leaving the house for a valid reason, such as to go shopping or to seek medical assistance, keep it as brief as possible.
• Take proper measures against infection in both public and private, such as refraining from having meals or drinks with people other than your family members.
• Dinners among employees are also prohibited for the duration of the state of emergency.
4. Contacting the office

In the unlikely event that any of the following cases apply, eSolia is obliged to inform the relevant parties (health center, clients and so on). Contact eSolia immediately:
1. When you suspect you have been infected
2. When you become infected
3. When you have been in close contact with persons who are infected
4. When your family member becomes infected
In all of the above cases, follow the instructions of the local health center. To establish contacts between the employees and at a client’s site, we will check the history of your work status, last attendance at work, persons who came in contact with you and so on.


5. The guideline for returning to work after infected
• As a general rule, you will be discharged from the hospital after you meet the national criteria (a negative result of PCR test).
• For those who have mild symptoms only and are treated at a designated accommodation facility or at home, the case will be treated in accordance with the above. A course of medical treatment will end at the discretion of the health center, and the restrictions on employment shall be lifted.
• The date to return to work is finalized after confirming with the employee’s family doctor or industrial physician. Depending on the progress of treatment, you may be asked to monitor the progress for a certain period of time (during which you are to work from home or stay at home etc).
❋ (FYI) “Guidelines for employees infected with COVID-19 to return to work” by Japan Society for Occupational Health.
All of the following conditions must be met.
• At least 10 days have passed since the onset (or since the diagnosis was confirmed).
• At least 72 hours have passed since the fever has subsided (a), and other symptoms are improving (b).
（a）Must not be taking any medications to relieve symptoms, including antipyretic.
（b）Symptoms such as cough, fatigue and respiratory distress (however, the loss of taste and smell may take longer to improve).


* The above contents will be updated based on the guidelines of the government agencies.