Question

What elements of an Emergency Management Program might have mitigated--if at all possible--the current crisis facing the hospitality industry today?(COVID-10) If you were in charge of a foodservice, healthcare, or lodging operation, what measures would you have taken to protect your business and your employees? What efforts are you reading about in the news or actions your employers have taken give you hope or trepidation for the future?

Answer 1

As part of the Emergency Management Plan following actions should be taken as early as possible.

a. Social distancing: Hospitality industry should have imposed strict measure to ensure that social distancing are being followed and large gathering or meetings/conferences are postponed.

b. Regular health screening of employees who are working in the properties and any suspected case should be reported immediately. Any employee who have any other illness should be asked to work from home or take leave.

c. Travel history of all the guests who are there in hospital should be monitored and any issue should be reported immediately.

d. Proper hygiene practices and frequent sanitation of the facility is also of utmost importance.

e. For the hospitality industry, the best way to protect the continuity of business is to come forward and negotiate with the government to set up the quarantine facility as it will continue generating some decent revenue because there is a huge demand to create the quarantine centers across the countries.

f. All staff members should be given proper physical and mental health support.

The above initiative will help in mitigating the impact on the hospitality industry for the time being. further measures can be adopted as the situation moves in coming future. Similar efforts are being taken by the hospitality industry across the globe as business continuity plan for the hospitality industry.