With Covid-19 restrictions being lifted and cases dramatically on the rise, many businesses are on the verge of shutting due to what is being labeled the Ping Pandemic or “Pingdemic”.

Some 530,126 alerts telling people to self-isolate were sent in the week to 7 July, a 46% rise on the previous week. Cases have increased 32.6% over the last week and the UK has recorded another 48,553 daily coronavirus cases. Factories have been on the verge of shutting and that at some sites hundreds of staff are off work. Although, this ‘pingdemic’ affects all businesses across a range of sectors in the UK economy. From Supermarkets and Hospitality to the Construction industry. Businesses must now navigate their way through the lifting of restrictions, both safely and efficiently.

This week alone, Iceland bosses have said they have had to shut shops due to staff shortages caused by people being forced to self-isolate by the NHS Covid app. Iceland said that after keeping all its stores open during lockdown, it has now had to shut some because 1,000 staff have been “pinged” by the app. Furthermore, in both the civil engineering and construction sector, construction leaders are warning that supply chain shortages are being exacerbated by the NHS Covid app ‘pingdemic’. Additionally, labour shortages that have remained prevalent within the construction industry since the first lockdown are now being exacerbated. These labour shortages are being intensified by the growing number of non-symptomatic drivers, tradespeople, merchants, and manufacturing staff required to self-isolate after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19. This will further stretch the supply chain.

Has Your Workforce been Hit by the Pingdemic?

With the UK workforce situation deteriorating further, construction sites will soon have to cease work and companies will be forced to start shutting down construction sites altogether. The industry has taken steps to make premises Covid safe, but with transmissions rising outside the workplace, and self-isolation rules preventing staff from working, staff shortages are putting production at risk and undermining the sector’s recovery.

At IPM Group we believe the solution to making a workplace Covid safe and reduce the risk of Covid induced workforce absenteeism, is smarter access control. Our access control innovation, the inteliPod offers a safe point for your staff to access the workplace, whilst deterring the possibility of spreading infection, through facial recognition, temperature scanning and self sanitisation.

Let us walk through the features the inteliPod possesses which allow it to create a Covid secure workplace.

Firstly, the inteliPods unit’s facial recognition technology. This offers faster access, is completely touch-free with the enhanced security features utilised by the inteliPod that supersede biometrics and ensure only authorised personnel access your site. Features such as the inteliPods facial recognition technology that has the capability to recognise users whilst still wearing their face covering. Furthermore, for those sites requiring personnel to wear face masks, our system can be set to raise an alarm for anyone trying to enter who is not wearing a face mask.

Additionally, within the facial recognition reader itself, the inteliPod possesses temperature scanning capabilities. Users are scanned upon arrival, granted entry if they are of a safe temperature or denied if their temperature is over what is deemed safe. This nullifies the risk of contaminating the entry point. It also quashes the need for Covid Marshalls, Commercial cleaners and/or Security personnel.

Finally, the inteliPods self sanitisation feature. For the unit to remain touch-free, we installed self-sanitisation technology. This is to sanitise the unit following a refusal of entry due to an unsafe temperature whilst also reducing the risk of contaminated surfaces from commercial cleaning personnel.

The inteliPods capabilities are applicable across of a range of sectors, from construction to manufacturing. It was designed first and foremost to keep people safe, whilst also allowing businesses to continue to strive to recover following months of closure. Covid-19 is here indefinitely yet we must resume life as normal, for the sake of both the economic development and individuals’ members of society’s personal finances. With the Government stating there will be no more national lockdowns going forward, the inteliPod unit is the best solution to safeguarding your staff and business.

To learn more about the inteliPod and how it can protect your business, speak to one of our friendly team today.