REGINA -- As Saskatchewan’s economy continues to reopen, the province’s chief medical health officer says people should continue to work from home if possible.
“Where you can work from home, that is a better option,” Dr. Saqib Shahab said at the province’s daily update on Thursday.
However, he noted that some people working in essential services have been working and interacting with the public throughout the pandemic.
“Even there, we have learned a lot about how they are able to continue in a safe manner,” Shahab said.
Shahab said employers should think about staggering shifts and breaks to avoid congestion at work places.
While many people’s workplaces are a secondary household, Shahab says it’s still important to follow guidelines at work.
“You shouldn’t really treat your workplace as your virtual household,” he said. “You need to keep physically distance, because if you don’t COVID spreads into too many households.”
Anyone returning to work will need to operate differently in order to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Premier Scott Moe said employers should work with employees to decide if people should stay at home, come back part-time or return to work full-time.
“There needs to be a new normal that we operate under, whether it’s a retail business or whether it’s in an office,” Moe said.
Moe said the province is working on a plan to bring back some government employees. Non-essential employees were sent home in March.
The province has opened up some more childcare spaces for people returning to work under the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan.
Phase three is scheduled to begin on Monday.
