Articles by "covid19"
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Coronavirus is demonstrating an especially troublesome test for some, organizations given waiting vulnerability on the length and degree of the flare-up. While your neighbourhood sanctioned bookkeeper can help with general business exhortation during intense occasions, there are some particular issues to tolerate as a primary concern.


  1. Your workforce

A reasonable correspondence technique is basic to keep up associations with representatives. Offer subtleties of the real and conceivable future business effect of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus). Approach your representatives for help as well as their thoughts on how the business can get past this.

Get exhortation about helping representatives with crisis wellbeing related advantages – including bringing ex-pat families home – without pulling in Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) in Australia. Work environment immunizations against known strains of influenza are without FBT, as are working environment cleanliness programs (counting the arrangement of hand sanitizers).
A business' use in giving such help would be charge deductible as a business cost of utilizing work.
On the HR front, there are numerous delicate issues, for example, creating arrangements for:
Representatives who express a craving to keep away from working environment contact with others circumstances, where a specialist is feeling unwell or is associated with being unwell, however, is as yet appearing for work (for instance, since they don't meet all requirements for wiped out leave)
For temporary workers, survey contract terms to decide the rights and commitments of the individual gatherings.

  1. Dealing with a downturn

The friendliness, travel and tertiary instruction areas have just been seriously influenced, and the stream on impacts is developing day by day.

Normal siphon preparing reactions to downturns will become an integral factor, for example, limited time offers and limits, yet be careful about motivators that offer deferred instalment plans: now and again like this, income is critical.

A few organizations can and ought to alter their promoting procedure (for instance, changing from an attention on abroad crowds to residential ones).

With regard to cost decrease, there is a scope of subjects to talk about with your contracted bookkeeper.

Oversee obligations owed to your business proactively.

For obligations owed by your business, contact providers and look for their help. Proprietors might be available to brief lease decreases or rent varieties.

Audit every single arranged cost on sources of info, for example, consumables, exchanging stock and gear.

Realize that business strength has as a lot to do with recuperating after COVID-19 for what it's worth about overseeing transitory misfortunes. Hurried choices can demonstrate exorbitant over the long haul. This is especially valid for work costs. Inactive representatives with important aptitudes could be urged to withdraw or acknowledge diminished hours. Businesses need to think cautiously before falling back on redundancies.
In the event that decreasing worker numbers becomes essential, there is a scope of alternatives to think about, for example, custom-fitted courses of action for those previously examining retirement (referred to in charge hovers as "endorsed early retirement plans").

  1. Production network

Converse with basic providers about their capacity to convey dependably. Consider incidentally looking for elective providers where the present business inventory network includes China or different nations seriously influenced by COVID-19.

System with comparative organizations to check whether they have surplus supplies to sell. Advance those product offerings less influenced by store network issues.

For your clients, correspondence and work-around arrangements are vital.

Lawful guidance might be expected to oversee legally binding danger on business sources of info and yields. For instance, does an agreement have a "power Majeure" condition and, assuming this is the case, does coronavirus fall inside its extension. Or on the other hand could the authoritative convention of "dissatisfaction" apply to end the agreement on the grounds that a mediating occasion – COVID-19 – emerged through no flaw of the gatherings.

  1. Travel limitations

The executives and HR groups should keep on observing government admonitions about the movement to nations with major COVID-19 flare-ups. Numerous organizations have just gone further and halted business travel to nations not yet formally recorded.

Various limitations may apply contingent upon the person's movement history (nations visited), regardless of whether they are Australian inhabitants (section consent and isolate courses of action) and the wellbeing related passage rules of the goal nation.

Address the loss of an eye to eye contact with online specialized techniques.

Executive or executive gatherings that must truly be held seaward for a charge or other administrative reasons ought to be conceded without endorsement to direct such gatherings remotely.

Remember that moving representatives to protect them may, contingent upon the conditions, have unintended outcomes (for example charge residency may change). Consider whether such representatives stay on or off the neighbourhood finance and whether the wellspring of their salary for charge purposes changes in light of the migration.

The living arrangement of key senior representatives could be pertinent to the expense habitation of organizations that they control and oversee.

  1. Your online system

On the off chance that a business is encountering a downturn in passing exchange, can the web-based showcasing methodology be increase to draw in another pool of online clients?

For representatives, check whether your IT frameworks encourage telecommuting courses of action and video conferencing. Are workers sufficiently prepared to utilize such apparatuses successfully in a manner that lessens digital hazard?

Clients and providers may likewise want to draw in on the web, so consider whether they can likewise be set up with the product important to connect with your business on the web.

  1. Pay receipts

Check current protection arrangements cautiously to check whether there is an extension for asserting and examine with your guide the assessable idea of any remuneration receipts got.

  1. Financing responsibilities

Connect ahead of schedule with agents if there will be trouble in meeting interest and credit reimbursements. These conversations should be formal and ought to incorporate the means at present being taken to deal with the downturn.

Tip to prevent by Corona Virus (Covid_19)


AUTHOR:
Muhammad Anas is a content writer & founder of Techolicious, where he can write blogs about latest technology, business, & covers motivational topics.
The starter packs consist of medical consumables to ensure the protection of frontline workers
ABUJA, Nigeria, April 25, 2020/ -- The Honorable Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire has disclosed that COVID-19 starter packs had been deployed to all tertiary health institutions and Federal Medical Centers, to complement what had earlier been sent to States. The starter packs he said consist of medical consumables to ensure the protection of frontline workers.

The Honorable Minister made this known today 24th April, 2020, at the Presidential Task Force briefing where he revealed that 981 people in 25 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had been confirmed to have had COVID-19. The 108 additional confirmations are as follows: 78 in Lagos, 14 in FCT, 5 in Ogun, 4 in Gombe, 3 in Borno, 2 in Akwa Ibom and 1 each in Kwara and Plateau. 197 persons had been treated for COVID-19 and discharged, while 31 deaths were recorded.

Dr. Ehanire said that the high number of cases was as a result of ongoing community transmission and active case search. The Minister said , “The most affected age group from statistics of test carried out are 31-40 years, while the highest COVID-19 fatality is among older generation above 50 years of age.

Presently, the Minister said that there are 13 laboratories that have the capacity to test 1,500 samples per day across the country. However, “we are testing an average of about 600 samples per day being the samples received at the centers”. He added that “efforts are on to increase the number of laboratories in the country, however, we need to improve surveillance, sample collection strategies and transport logistics to laboratories and also reduce the turnaround time for tests”.

The Minister informed that testing positive is followed by isolation and treatment as needed. He said those who required no treatment still need to be in isolation in the interest of the public and their household. He urged all persons who test positive to comply.

He applauded the frontline health workers in the COVID-19 pandemic and urged they protect themselves as prescribed and use their PPE judiciously while treating COVID-19 patients. He appealed to citizens to adhere to advisory on hand and respiratory hygiene as well as the social distancing directives. He also advised that they use their mask or face covering when leaving their residence and avoid mass gathering.

“As we join the rest of the global community to commemorate World Immunization Week, with the team “vaccines work for all”, the Honorable Minister reminded that, it is dedicated to promoting the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against diseases and death. He added that while waiting for the vaccine for COVID-19, “let us collectively adhere to all public health advisories.

Dr. Ehanire advised that if anyone had been suspected of been exposed to COVID-19 then there is need to call the toll-free NCDC number 112 or 0800 9700 0010. He reminded also that resources and real-time information on COVID-19 could be found on the social media handles of FMoH and NCDc, and FMoH website and the NCDC COVID-19 microsite https://bit.ly/2wjr7Aq, adding also that citizens stay home, stay safe and take precautions.

The Secretary General of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, informed that at the ECOWAS Heads of States summit, H E Muhammadu Buhari, Federal Republic of Nigeria was appointed as CHAMPION, to coordinate the COVID-19 response and eradication process. He said the implication of this assignment is that the PTF must factor the West African Sub-region into its plans and activities to support Mr President in his new role. He added that the Summit also set up Ministerial Coordination Committees on Health, Finance, and Transport to coordinate Regional efforts, under the supervision of the CHAMPION.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria.
SOURCE
Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Center is featured at the top of News Feed and provides a central place for people to keep informed about the Coronavirus
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 24, 2020/ -- Facebook (www.Facebook.com) is expanding its Coronavirus Information Center to 24 more countries in Africa as part of its ongoing commitment to empowering people around the world with timely and accurate news from trusted health authorities.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Center is featured at the top of News Feed and provides a central place for people to keep informed about the Coronavirus. It includes real-time updates from national official sources, regional and global organizations such as the Africa Center for Disease Control (https://bit.ly/3cH9PN5) and the World Health Organization as well as helpful resources - articles, videos and posts - and tips about social distancing and preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Facebook users can opt-in to the Center to get notifications and see updates in their News Feed from official government, regional or global health authorities.

Facebook’s Director of Public Policy, Africa, Kojo Boakye, says: “Facebook is supporting the public health community’s work across the world to keep all communities informed during the coronavirus pandemic. We are happy to provide nearly every country in Sub-Saharan Africa with its own Information Center so people across the continent have a central place to find authoritative information around COVID-19.”

The new countries where Facebook is launching the Coronavirus Information Center are:

  • Botswana
  • Burundi
  • Central African Republic
  • Comoros
  • Congo
  • Djibouti
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Lesotho
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Rwanda
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Sierra Leone
  • South Sudan
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

The Coronavirus Information Center is already in place in the following sub-Sahara African countries:

  • Benin
  • Burkina Faso
  • Cameroon
  • Cape Verde
  • Chad
  • Côte d’Ivoire
  • Ethiopia
  • Gabon
  • Guinea
  • Kenya
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritius
  • Nigeria
  • Senegal
  • Seychelles
  • South Africa
  • The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
  • Togo

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Facebook.
Self-isolation, lockdowns, working remotely and physical distancing can get you down
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 15, 2020/ -- Bizcommunity (www.Bizcommunity.com) is the daily 'virtual commute' that brings you closer to 19 industry communities.



The massive interest in Covid-19 related articles has contributed to a 28% increase in our global page impressions. This is just one of the reasons why continuing to publish on Biz makes sense for companies wishing to stay top-of-mind. As all stakeholders in the world economy unite to rebuild, and in many cases repurpose, economic models, we invite you to stay connected and share your business-to-business journeys with 19 industry communities in Africa!

Ways to stay connected on Biz:

1. Advertising

Keep essential services rolling and scrolling. The right display ad messages get great responses, drive traffic to bespoke landing pages, causes, bookings or orders. We can assist with ad concept and design. Great value at 50% off rate card prices till end lockdown.

2. Issued by

Join over 350 companies publishing regularly on the indispensable daily snapshot of business-to-business from South Africa and Africa. Content from our contributor partners includes links to the profile of the issuing company, blending seamlessly into editorial flow with high visibility and readability. Submissions via a Biz Press Office appear on the homepage of any of our 19 industry portals, while Promoted Content appears as a top story.

3. Virtual events and webinars

Cancelled events that teams and sponsors have put so much work into are disappointing for everyone, not least guests and delegates. But it’s not necessary to let all that equity totally go to waste. Bizcommunity remains the virtual event partner of choice - Our platforms can still provide all the amplification of a real event - invite awards entries, create pre- ’virtual event’ hype, showcase speakers, stakeholders or sponsors, live tweet virtual events as they happen, publish embargoed awards or industry bursaries and offer post- ‘virtual event’ coverage. Benefits can include reduced costs and carbon footprints which can even attract wider audiences from any location.

4. Altruism and doing good

Purpose has been at the heart of a winning brand strategy for some time, but for brand reputations to survive and thrive in a post-pandemic world it is now pretty much non-negotiable. Companies that have risen to recent coronavirus challenges will be able to forge stronger stakeholder, customer and staff relations in the long run. Is your company using slowdowns and lockdowns to redefine and reset future culture and values? This is the raison d’etre of business-to-business publishing – an under-one-roof showcase for policies, initiatives and good intentions, distributed via a Biz Press Office to help maintain moral compasses and position your company proactively in your region.

5. Will the SA healthcare sector take a bow?

As the sector being lauded and applauded globally for proficiency, selflessness and courage at Covid-19 frontlines, it’s time for the real SA healthcare industry to please come out. Vital updates from local virologists, immunologists, healthcare providers, medical manufacturers and laboratories are eagerly awaited as is information about supply chains, medical procedures, claims and spokespersons.

6. Manufacturing matters

As tourism and hospitality revenue streams dry up, the long-overlooked manufacturing sector should offer a lifeline for employment and youth employment. Globally, manufacturing companies have been seen to be repurposing production lines for urgently needed essentials such as masks, sanitisers and ventilators and some local companies such as apparel and 3D printers with capacity are following suit. Recent research (https://bit.ly/2yY1O7L) shows increased demand for locally produced goods and foodstuffs. The African Development Bank has identified ‘Industrialise Africa’ (https://bit.ly/2ydlTa2) as one of its High Five Sustainable Development Goals and new demand could also offer opportunities to look beyond our borders at the growth in African trade. The famous Biblical quote from the book of the prophet Isaiah about turning ‘swords to ploughshares’, seems prophetic indeed as the world questions its values. Which existing and future resources and facilities will government, medical, motoring, apparel, agricultural processing and other manufacturing sectors repurpose for better outcomes?

7. Remote recruitment

Favourable exchange rates and a wealth of skill sets in South Africa’s creative, tech and other sectors, make us an ideal remote recruitment destination. Bizcommunity is fertile ground for international gig economy recruiters and companies.

8. Lockdown logistics

Published last week on Biz was the insight: "Without trucks, South Africa stops!" Never has this been truer than now, in the time of the coronavirus pandemic. With the national lockdowns and more and more countries in Africa introducing strict measures, it is the road freight operators sure that much-needed products are delivered – on time, to the right people, at the right place. What opportunities do the millions of global locked down consumers provide for e-commerce transactions, air, sea, rail and land freight services, ports and people?

9. Virtual connections and teams

ICT and virtual services, especially those that connect people or businesses, are continuing to prove vital. As home working and isolation measures extend – databases, analysis and tracking apps are proliferating. Companies who have been intending to strengthen digital or e-commerce footprints will likely do so now and we predict that virtual managers, remote team building and coaching will lead to a whole new managerial skill set. An explosion of entertainment and technology enablers such as VR, AR and CGI are likely as every sector from labs to manufacturing, office to the workshop, tradeshow to test kitchen goes virtual. Culturally museums, art galleries, theatre, virtual travel and mass educational platforms offer opportunities. We’d love to hear opinions and predictions from the service- and solution-providers sector.

10. Blue chip, green chip

Green chip stocks are defined as shares in companies whose primary business is beneficial to the environment such as alternative and renewable energy, pollution solutions, etc. An early April headline from Forbes called Covid-19 “the wake-up call the energy sector needed”. Local initiatives such as Wesgro’s GreenCape , Atlantis SEZ  and government greenlights for Independent Power Producers (IPPs) point to opportunities in the sustainable energy sector as possible alternatives to tourism and hospitality sector losses.

Local load-shedding and energy price hikes combined with global scenarios paint a bleak outlook for the energy sector. Boston University Institute for Sustainable Energy cites “era-defining events: the Covid-19 pandemic, the resulting global financial contraction, and a collapse in oil prices” as causes behind energy being the worst-performing sector in the S&P index. On the plus side, is the time finally ripe for renewables, which ‘blue chips’ might still be profitable in post-Covid economies? Let us know and watch this space.

Open for business-to-business

Bizcommunity is privileged to share a daily 360° snapshot of the generosity, solidarity, agility and ingenuity of 19 industry sectors. We are here, and invite you to stay connected on the focused platforms for South Africa’s finest minds, entrepreneurs, business strategists and service providers. Our team is fully operational; working remotely to promote company news, virtual events, courses, seminars and activations on the indispensable business-to-business website from South Africa to the world.

SOURCE
Bizcommunity

With no reliable data for COVID-19 available yet, it is always best to be extra cautious

LAGOS, Nigeria, April 7, 2020/ -- The lockdown that countries all over the world are currently experiencing is putting a renewed focus on personal hygiene. But despite people being advised to wash their hands often, how many apply the same rigour to their smartphones? Kaspersky (www.Kaspersky.co.za) provides a few tips on keeping mobile devices ‘virus-free’.

“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, it is frightening to think how much bacteria lives on our personal mobile devices. And with the Coronavirus able to survive at room temperature and remain infectious on metal, glass, ceramic, and plastic for several days, it becomes essential to follow effective disinfection protocol,” says Maher Yamout, Senior Security Researcher for the Global Research and Analysis Team at Kaspersky.

The virus can get onto a phone or tablet in two ways: either in tiny droplets when an infected person coughs nearby, or from your own hands after touching door handles, ATM buttons, and the like.
Fortunately, unless a person hands their mobile device to someone who is infected to cough and splutter all over it, the probability of infection by airborne route is low. Transmission by hand depends on the duration of contact and varies for different microorganisms. But with no reliable data for COVID-19 available yet, it is always best to be extra cautious.

“If you must go to the shop for essential goods, it is imperative to disinfect your phone when you return home. There are several common household products that can deal with the Coronavirus effectively - ethanol (C2H5OH), isopropyl alcohol (C3H7OH), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and sodium hypochlorite (NaClO),” adds Yamout.

Isopropyl alcohol is considered the least harmful to the oleophobic coating that allows fingers to slide over the screen without covering it in fingerprints. So, use it if you can (as spray or wet wipes).
Ethanol and hydrogen peroxide should be considered a backup if nothing else is available. With frequent use, these products can easily ruin the oleophobic coating. Even once might be enough, it depends on the coating.

As for concentration, the optimal to go for is approximately 70-80%. Purer alcohol evaporates too quickly for best results. The disinfecting solution must sit on the surface for about a minute. A lower concentration is less efficient in killing viruses.

People should therefore not rely on vodka for example instead of ethyl alcohol. Even glass cleaner is not as effective as isopropyl alcohol given it has a considerably lower alcohol content. It is also critical to not pour the disinfectant into the connectors, speakers, and other openings in the smartphone, even if it is waterproof. Rather, take a cotton pad, soak it in the liquid, and apply it to all sides of the device. There is no need to press hard, just carefully and thoroughly wipe the whole surface.

People should apply the same disinfection regiment to any other gadgets they use in public places. These can include tablets, laptops, smartwatches, bracelets, headphones, and so on. However, always check the product Website whether the manufacturer has any recommendations as to which substances are best suited for the device cleaning and how to apply them.

For further information please contact:
Nicole Allman | INK&Co.
Cell: +27 83 251 2769
Email: nicole@inkandco.co.za

About Kaspersky:
Kaspersky (www.Kaspersky.co.za) is a global cybersecurity company founded in 1997. Kaspersky’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and a number of specialized security solutions and services to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky technologies and we help 270,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at www.Kaspersky.co.za

Rapid Response offer gives organisations free cloud contact centre solution deployed in 48 hours, plus no premiums for volume spikes and comprehensive training and support
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 7, 2020/ -- As the world adapts to the COVID-19 pandemic, organisations of all sizes are struggling to manage increased demand while working to keep employees safe. To help navigate these challenges, Genesys® (www.Genesys.com), the global leader in cloud customer experience and contact centre solutions, has launched a new Rapid Response offer to give any organisation free access to Genesys Cloud so they can provide mission-critical support and enable remote teams fast, with deployment in just 48 hours.

In response to COVID-19, more than 700 organisations from all over the world, including Arise-Europe, City of Helsinki, eFinancial, FMI Call Centre, Gleaners Food Bank, Home Credit, JPIMedia, Ly.com, Lenovo, Ping-An Insurance and Tokyo Individualised Educational Institute, Inc., have requested assistance from Genesys to support remote capabilities, shift their geographic operations or manage unexpected surges in customer inquiries. In fact, the Genesys Rapid Response offer has already allowed more than 500,000 contact centre employees to continue serving consumers from the safety of their homes since February. Examples include:

A major financial services company transitioned nearly 10,000 in-office contact centre agents to remote work within days. The company plans to enable another 5,000 to work from home. In addition, the company doubled its record for customer transactions, jumping to 3 million during this period.

A Fortune 50 software company shut down its contact centres in a COVID-19 outbreak area and shifted all calls to other countries. The company updated its IVR and rebalanced its routing to accommodate this change while transitioning thousands of agents around the world to virtual work within days.

A large state government entity was able to convert 3,000 agents to remote work in a single day. It also onboarded 400 new agents in just three days.

Genesys Rapid Response

The company's Rapid Response offer allows organisations to launch a secure cloud contact centre with the fundamental capabilities needed to engage effectively with customers and colleagues from anywhere. This includes support for automation and self-service, voice and email routing, interaction recording and employee collaboration tools. To make the transition easier for employees and supervisors, on-demand training and education is also included. In addition, Genesys is assisting organisations in controlling costs by waiving overage premiums resulting from unexpected spikes in customer inquiries.

"At Genesys, we have a responsibility to help however we can during this difficult time," said Tony Bates, chief executive officer of Genesys. "No matter what challenges organisations face, Genesys is committed to partnering with them to protect their employees, serve consumers and help contain the COVID-19 outbreak. Every action we take to stop the spread matters, but we can't do it alone. Across every function and with support from our partners, the Genesys community is coming together to help organisations through this unprecedented situation."

Broader support for COVID-19 response

The Genesys ecosystem is instrumental in this effort with many providing services and guidance to facilitate business continuity during the COVID-19 crisis. The company is also exploring solutions with Google Cloud and others, as well as implementation partners, including Avtex, ConvergeOne and NTT, Ltd., which are critical in helping expedite deployments of Genesys Cloud. In addition, several Genesys AppFoundry® partners are also extending their free trial period to align with Genesys Rapid Response.

"Genesys is doing more than giving away technology," said Ken Landoline, principal analyst, Customer Engagement, Omdia. "The company is delivering a holistic solution and providing access to a community that delivers services, support, training, guidance and best practices so organisations are truly equipped to help employees and customers through this difficult time. I believe this is right on target and is the best course of action given the complexity of what businesses are up against."

Customer comments on Genesys Rapid Response:

The City of Helsinki partnered with the local Evangelical Lutheran parishes, and many charities, to contact proactively more than 80,000 elderly residents to ensure their well-being amid the COVID-19 crisis. Genesys Cloud serves as the technology foundation for this service and enables 500 volunteers to support these citizens. "The cooperation with Genesys to launch the Helsinki Helpline has already been amazing. In just a couple of days, we launched a fully functioning contact centre and trained our team, including citizen volunteers with many different backgrounds," commented Tiina Hörkkö, director of the Helsinki Helpline, City of Helsinki.

eFinancial, the second largest direct-to-consumer life insurance brokerage in the nation, deployed Genesys Cloud for use by its eSales department three weeks earlier than planned due to COVID-19. "Employees from all three of our call centres are working remotely now and we are maintaining production levels," said Paul Bourdeux, vice president of Information Technology for eFinancial. "Without Genesys Cloud this could have been disastrous. The added investment for the solution has already paid off."

Since mid-March, Gleaners Food Bank has tripled the number of households it is feeding per day. Part of the spike was from individuals requesting food delivery services, which the organisation did not provide previously. Gleaners Food Bank President and Chief Executive Officer John Elliott commented, "Within seven days, we went from not being able to handle the surge of calls to being able to manage them effectively via Genesys Cloud. We now have an automated qualification process so we can identify eligible households and deliver food to those in need."

JPIMedia is one of the largest national, regional and local multimedia organisations in the UK. "We successfully transitioned 450 users to a temporary remote working model within 5 days following government advice. This allows our commercial teams to stay connected with our customers," said Rebekah Avill, head of Commercial Systems at JPIMedia.

Ly.com, China's leading high-tech travel provider of transportation and hotel reservations serving more than 300 million people, has leveraged support from Genesys to ensure its customer service operations during the COVID-19 outbreak holiday period. Yuchi Xiao, CEO of Customers Service Centre of Ly.com, said, "With the help of Genesys, thousands of remote agent services were successfully deployed in only two days. As always, the Genesys China team was standing together with us to overcome challenges and deliver excellent customer experience."

Learn more about Genesys Rapid Response, which is available for any organisation, including existing Genesys customers as well as other businesses, government agencies and non-profits. Local restrictions may apply, and organisations must sign up by April 30, 2020.

About Genesys:
Every year, Genesys® (www.Genesys.com) delivers more than 70 billion remarkable customer experiences for organisations in over 100 countries. Through the power of the cloud and AI, our technology connects every customer moment across marketing, sales and service on any channel, while also improving employee experiences. Genesys pioneered Experience as a ServiceSM so organisations of any size can provide true personalisation at scale, interact with empathy, and foster customer trust and loyalty. This is enabled by Genesys Cloud™, an all-in-one solution and the world's leading public cloud contact centre platform, designed for rapid innovation, scalability and flexibility. Visit www.Genesys.com
SOURCE
Genesys
Vodacom has digital channels that can help customers and businesses to work from home ensuring they stay connected at all times

TEL AVIV, Israel, April 7, 2020/ -- As Tanzania and the rest of the world is facing a challenging time with the spread of coronavirus, staying connected with Vodacom has never been more important.

The Director of Vodacom business at Vodacom, Mr. Arjun Dhillon, said over the weekend that the company is positioned to support businesses, learning institutions and organisations to continue operations but also keeping people connected during these unprecedented times.

Vodacom Tanzania provides critical connectivity and communications infrastructure across the country.

"We have invested billions improving our infrastructure in the past 20 years and in recent days we have seen how critical it is, we continue to improve our capacity and minimize congestions as more customers demand ICT infrastructure to work remotely," he said.

He said innovation and technology have been placed on the forefront to bring a sense of normalcy to how people and organizations do things during these times.

"We are stretching every resource to the maximum to ensure that our customers stay connected, and that organisations in both the private and public sector continue to operate efficiently whilst working remotely."

To help businesses and corporate clients reduce unnecessary movements, Vodacom has introduced DocuSign e-signature platform to aid the signing of various company documents electronically. This implies that Vodacom can remotely sign and approve documents for its customers without having to meet them physically.

"I believe this will improve efficiency in terms of time saved but also protect our customers and staff," he said.

Furthermore, Vodacom has digital channels that can help customers and businesses to work from home ensuring they stay connected at all times.

Vodacom App, M-Pesa App and Vodacom Business portals allow customers to do more without having to move from their homes, for example buy airtime and bundles, pay employee wages, make service, utilities and Government payments with ease but also receive payments.

"We recently improved the M-Pesa app to allow customers to set standing orders ensuring no payment or transfer is missed. Our business is about keeping the organizations we support connected - whether with essential mobile connectivity or through fixed data networks, cloud and hosting or internet of things," he said.

The Director Corporate Affairs at Vodacom, Rosalynn Mworia, said with schools closed and still in need to keep their minds occupied, the company is offering home internet using fixed lines, Mifi of routers.

"In addition to zero rating critical websites for Tanzanians to access reliable information on the status of Coronavirus, we have also zero rated some learning websites that students can use to study while at home with no internet such as Instant Schools and Shule Direct. Our guarantee to our business customers is that we are doing our utmost to ensure we continue to assure you quality and reliable connectivity because we do have the capacity to ensure you are connected throughout this crisis," she noted.

SOURCE
Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania Tel Aviv, Israel
Centurion Law Group has launched a series of legal updates where it will be providing the latest updates and insights on in-country changes in legislations and regulations
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 8, 2020/ -- The series will provide an overview of the current state of affairs in Equatorial Guinea, South Africa, Mauritius, Ghana, Cameroon, Angola, Nigeria and Zambia; Centurion (https://CenturionLG.com) continues to push its on demand legal service, Centurion Plus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Centurion Law Group has launched a series of legal updates where it will be providing the latest updates and insights on in-country changes in legislations and regulations.

Centurion will focus on categories including employment, tax, immigration, corporate and general matters in Equatorial Guinea, South Africa, Mauritius, Ghana, Cameroon, Angola, Nigeria and Zambia. The series which provides an overview of the current state of affairs in these countries can be accessed on the company’s website (www.CenturionLG.com) and is now available for free download in PDF format.

“While we continue to urge African governments to roll out measures that ensure that individuals and businesses are able to weather the Covic-19 pandemic with the least amount of distress, we have assumed the duty to progressively provide useful information on the potential impacts of this period, as well as the buffers that exist or are being deployed across the continent, said Zion Adeoye, Managing Director, Centurion Law Group. “We hope these updates will go some way in assisting businesses and individuals to prepare for the fallout of this pandemic and where necessary, our Centurion Plus lawyers are available to assist in real time,” he added

“In addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of African countries have made changes to operations in their key economic pillars,” said Anselmo Eworo, Partner, Centurion Law Group Equatorial Guinea. “As a pan-African law firm, it is our responsibility to ensure that beyond our clients and peers, the people on the ground are also aware and have access to this information. We hope this series can effectively communicate the latest developments in each sector.” He added.

About Centurion:
Centurion (https://CenturionLG.com) is a pan-African corporate law conglomerate. Operating at the cutting edge of business practices today, Centurion stands ready to provide outsourced legal representation and a full suite of legal services to new, expanding and established corporations.

Across Africa, Centurion provides a service tailored to your operating environment, the nature and structure of your business, your level of risk tolerance, and your overall objectives. Our alternative billing arrangements provide our clients with a greater degree of certainty about their legal costs.
SOURCE
Centurion Law Group
The submissions will be assessed by the support team responsible for coordinating the process, exclusively for the identified commodities

The analysis shows that COVID-19 will cost the region between $37 billion and $79 billion in output losses for 2020 due to a combination of effects WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, April 9, 2020/ -- Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa has been significantly impacted by the ongoing coronavirus outbreak and is forecast to fall sharply from 2.4% in 2019 to -2.1 to -5.1% in 2020, the first recession in the region over the past 25 years, according to the latest Africa’s Pulse, the World Bank’s twice-yearly economic update for the region.  “The COVID-19 pandemic is testing the limits of societies and economies across the world, and African countries are likely to be hit particularly hard,” said Hafez Ghanem, World Bank Vice President for Africa. “We are rallying all possible resources to help countries meet people’s immediate health and survival needs while also safeguarding livelihoods and jobs in the longer term – including calling for a standstill on official bilateral debt service payments which would free up funds for strengthening health systems to deal with COVID-19 and save lives, social safety nets to save livelihoods and help workers who lose jobs, support to small and medium enterprises, and food security.”  The Pulse authors recommend that African policymakers focus on saving lives and protecting livelihoods by focusing on strengthening health systems and taking quick actions to minimize disruptions in food supply chains. They also recommend implementing social protection programs, including cash transfers, food distribution and fee waivers, to support citizens, especially those working in the informal sector.  The analysis shows that COVID-19 will cost the region between $37 billion and $79 billion in output losses for 2020 due to a combination of effects. They include trade and value chain disruption, which impacts commodity exporters and countries with strong value chain participation; reduced foreign financing flows from remittances, tourism, foreign direct investment, foreign aid, combined with capital flight; and through direct impacts on health systems, and disruptions caused by containment measures and the public response.  While most countries in the region have been affected to different degrees by the pandemic, real gross domestic product growth is projected to fall sharply particularly in the region’s three largest economies – Nigeria, Angola, and South Africa— as a result of persistently weak growth and investment. In general, oil exporting-countries will also be hard-hit; while growth is also expected to weaken substantially in the two fastest growing areas—the West African Economic and Monetary Union and the East African Community—due to weak external demand, disruptions to supply chains and domestic production. The region’s tourism sector is expected to contract sharply due to severe disruption to travel.  The COVID-19 crisis also has the potential to spark a food security crisis in Africa, with agricultural production potentially contracting between 2.6% in an optimistic scenario and up to 7% if there are trade blockages. Food imports would decline substantially (as much as 25% or as little as 13%) due to a combination of higher transaction costs and reduced domestic demand.  Several African countries have reacted quickly and decisively to curb the potential influx and spread of the coronavirus, very much in line with international guidelines. However, the report points out several factors that pose challenges to the containment and mitigation measures, in particular the large and densely populated urban informal settlements, poor access to safe water and sanitation facilities, and fragile health systems. Ultimately, the magnitude of the impact will depend on the public’s reaction within respective countries, the spread of the disease, and the policy response. And these factors together could lead to reduced labor market participation, capital underutilization, lower human capital accumulation, and long-term productivity effects.  “In addition to containment measures, we have seen that in responding to COVID-19, countries are opting for a combination of emergency fiscal and monetary policy actions with many central banks in the region taking important actions like cutting interest rates and providing extraordinary liquidity assistance,” said Albert Zeufack, Chief Economist for Africa at the World Bank. “However, it is important to ensure that fiscal policy builds in space for social protection interventions, especially targeting workers in the informal sector, and sows the seed for future resilience of our economies.”   The authors emphasize the need for a customized policy response to reflect the structure of African economies (especially the large informal sector) and the peculiar constraints policymakers currently face, particularly the deteriorating fiscal positions and heightened public debt vulnerabilities, and the overall low operational capacity to respond.  “The immediate measures are important but there is no doubt there will be need for some sort of debt relief from bilateral creditors to secure the resources urgently needed to fight COVID-19 and to help manage or maintain macroeconomic stability in the region,” said Cesar Calderon, Lead Economist and Lead author of the report.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, economic circumstances within countries and regions are fluid and change on a day-by-day basis. The macroeconomic analysis in the report is based on data available by the first quarter of March 2020.  The World Bank Group is taking broad, fast action to help developing countries strengthen their pandemic response, increase disease surveillance, improve public health interventions, and help the private sector continue to operate and sustain jobs. It is deploying up to $160 billion in financial support over the next 15 months to help countries protect the poor and vulnerable, support businesses, and bolster economic recovery.  Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The World Bank Group. SOURCE The World Bank Group
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 8, 2020/ -- Due to the shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to curb the spread of COVID-19, the National Treasury in support of the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (DTIC) calls on all compliant, particularly local, suppliers providing commodities listed below to direct their offers to the PMO set up for this purpose. The submissions will be assessed by the support team responsible for coordinating the process, exclusively for the identified commodities.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) descriptions:

  1. Disposable aprons
  2. Protective surgical gowns
  3. Protective eyewear
  4. Surgical gloves
  5. Overshoes
  6. Protective hoods
  7. Biohazard bags
  8. Ventilators
  9. Alcohol-Cleaning, disinfectants – clinical
  10. Venturi mask
Detailed information should be provided for the above items and submitted directly to the email covid19supplies@businessresponsecovid19.co.za.

The submission should include the following information:

  • Supplier name,
  • Company registration,
  • Central Supplier Database number (CSD),
  • Indication of products that can be supplied.

National Treasury continues to advise suppliers to be vigilant during this time and not submit their information to would-be scammers. Suppliers are advised to always first verify with relevant departments before supplying any goods.

The submission through this process does not in any manner or form waive the requirements for compliance outlined in the Central Supplier Database (CSD).


Issued by: 
National Treasury
 
The analysis shows that COVID-19 will cost the region between $37 billion and $79 billion in output losses for 2020 due to a combination of effects
WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, April 9, 2020/ -- Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa has been significantly impacted by the ongoing coronavirus outbreak and is forecast to fall sharply from 2.4% in 2019 to -2.1 to -5.1% in 2020, the first recession in the region over the past 25 years, according to the latest Africa’s Pulse, the World Bank’s twice-yearly economic update for the region.

The COVID-19 pandemic is testing the limits of societies and economies across the world, and African countries are likely to be hit particularly hard,” said Hafez Ghanem, World Bank Vice President for Africa. “We are rallying all possible resources to help countries meet people’s immediate health and survival needs while also safeguarding livelihoods and jobs in the longer term – including calling for a standstill on official bilateral debt service payments which would free up funds for strengthening health systems to deal with COVID-19 and save lives, social safety nets to save livelihoods and help workers who lose jobs, support to small and medium enterprises, and food security.

The Pulse authors recommend that African policymakers focus on saving lives and protecting livelihoods by focusing on strengthening health systems and taking quick actions to minimize disruptions in food supply chains. They also recommend implementing social protection programs, including cash transfers, food distribution and fee waivers, to support citizens, especially those working in the informal sector.

The analysis shows that COVID-19 will cost the region between $37 billion and $79 billion in output losses for 2020 due to a combination of effects. They include trade and value chain disruption, which impacts commodity exporters and countries with strong value chain participation; reduced foreign financing flows from remittances, tourism, foreign direct investment, foreign aid, combined with capital flight; and through direct impacts on health systems, and disruptions caused by containment measures and the public response.

While most countries in the region have been affected to different degrees by the pandemic, real gross domestic product growth is projected to fall sharply particularly in the region’s three largest economies – Nigeria, Angola, and South Africa— as a result of persistently weak growth and investment. In general, oil exporting-countries will also be hard-hit; while growth is also expected to weaken substantially in the two fastest growing areas—the West African Economic and Monetary Union and the East African Community—due to weak external demand, disruptions to supply chains and domestic production. The region’s tourism sector is expected to contract sharply due to severe disruption to travel.

The COVID-19 crisis also has the potential to spark a food security crisis in Africa, with agricultural production potentially contracting between 2.6% in an optimistic scenario and up to 7% if there are trade blockages. Food imports would decline substantially (as much as 25% or as little as 13%) due to a combination of higher transaction costs and reduced domestic demand.

Several African countries have reacted quickly and decisively to curb the potential influx and spread of the coronavirus, very much in line with international guidelines. However, the report points out several factors that pose challenges to the containment and mitigation measures, in particular the large and densely populated urban informal settlements, poor access to safe water and sanitation facilities, and fragile health systems. Ultimately, the magnitude of the impact will depend on the public’s reaction within respective countries, the spread of the disease, and the policy response. And these factors together could lead to reduced labor market participation, capital underutilization, lower human capital accumulation, and long-term productivity effects.

In addition to containment measures, we have seen that in responding to COVID-19, countries are opting for a combination of emergency fiscal and monetary policy actions with many central banks in the region taking important actions like cutting interest rates and providing extraordinary liquidity assistance,” said Albert Zeufack, Chief Economist for Africa at the World Bank“However, it is important to ensure that fiscal policy builds in space for social protection interventions, especially targeting workers in the informal sector, and sows the seed for future resilience of our economies.” 

The authors emphasize the need for a customized policy response to reflect the structure of African economies (especially the large informal sector) and the peculiar constraints policymakers currently face, particularly the deteriorating fiscal positions and heightened public debt vulnerabilities, and the overall low operational capacity to respond.

The immediate measures are important but there is no doubt there will be need for some sort of debt relief from bilateral creditors to secure the resources urgently needed to fight COVID-19 and to help manage or maintain macroeconomic stability in the region,” said Cesar Calderon, Lead Economist and Lead author of the report.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, economic circumstances within countries and regions are fluid and change on a day-by-day basis. The macroeconomic analysis in the report is based on data available by the first quarter of March 2020.

The World Bank Group is taking broad, fast action to help developing countries strengthen their pandemic response, increase disease surveillance, improve public health interventions, and help the private sector continue to operate and sustain jobs. It is deploying up to $160 billion in financial support over the next 15 months to help countries protect the poor and vulnerable, support businesses, and bolster economic recovery.

SOURCE
The World Bank Group
Despite a late arrival, the COVID-19 virus has spread rapidly across Sub-Saharan Africa in recent weeks
WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, April 9, 2020/ -- The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on human life and brought major disruption to economic activity across the world. Despite a late arrival, the COVID-19 virus has spread rapidly across Sub-Saharan Africa in recent weeks. Economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to decline from 2.4 percent in 2019 to -2.1 to -5.1 percent in 2020, the first recession in the region in 25 years.

The coronavirus is hitting the region’s three largest economies —Nigeria, South Africa, and Angola— in a context of persistently weak growth and investment. In particular, countries that depend on oil and mining exports would be hit the hardest. The negative impact of the COVID-19 crisis on household welfare would be equally dramatic. African policymakers need to develop a two-pronged strategy of “saving lives and protecting livelihoods.”

This strategy includes (short-term) relief measures and (medium-term) recovery measures aimed at strengthening health systems, providing income support to workers and liquidity support to viable businesses. However, financing of these policies will be challenging amid deteriorating fiscal positions and heightened public debt vulnerabilities. Therefore, African countries will require financial assistance from their development partners -including COVID-19 related multilateral assistance and a debt service stand still with official bilateral creditors.

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Citation

“Calderon, Cesar; Kambou, Gerard; Zebaze Djiofack, Calvin; Korman, Vijdan; Kubota, Megumi; Cantu Canales, Catalina. 2020. Africa's Pulse, No. 21, Spring 2020 : An Analysis of Issues Shaping Africa’s Economic Future. World Bank, Washington, DC. © World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/33541 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”

SOURCE
The World Bank Group
Facebook users can opt in to follow the center to get notifications and see updates in their News Feed from official government health authorities

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 9, 2020/ -- Facebook is expanding its Coronavirus Information Center to 17 more countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The Information Centers form part of Facebook’s effort to help the global fight against COVID-19 by providing people with the latest news and information from trusted health authorities as well as resources and tips to stay healthy and support their family and community.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Center is featured at the top of News Feed, that provides a central place for people to keep informed about the Coronavirus. It includes real-time updates from national health authorities and global organisations such as the World Health Organization, as well as helpful articles, videos and posts about social distancing and preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Facebook users can opt in to follow the center to get notifications and see updates in their News Feed from official government health authorities.

The center has already launched in South Africa, it will now be expanded to the following new sub - Saharan African markets:

  • Benin
  • Burkina Faso
  • Cameroon
  • Cape Verde
  • Chad
  • Côte d’Ivoire
  • Ethiopia
  • Gabon
  • Guinea
  • Kenya
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Nigeria
  • Senegal
  • Seychelles
  • The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
  • Togo

 Facebook’s Head of Public Policy, Africa, Kojo Boakye comments about the expansion; “We’ve built the information centers, in collaboration with national health partners, to ensure that people can get access to information from trusted health sources. The launch of the COVID-19 Information Center on Facebook in more than 17 countries across sub-Saharan Africa aligns with our commitment to making accurate, timely information about the pandemic accessible to all communities.”
Hospitals and clinics may directly procure these products as necessary to provide for the infants in their care
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 9, 2020/ -- The regulations published by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs under Government Notice 318 of 18 March 2020 were amended by regulations as published in Government Notice R398 of 25 March 2020 as well as by regulations in Government Notice R 419 of 26 March 2020.

The regulations published on 25 March 2020 included, under paragraph 6(a), the following inclusion as an essential good: “(iv) Products for the care of babies and toddlers.”

Following requests for clarification, we confirm that this provision includes baby clothes, blankets, towels and other essential accessories for new-borns, infants and toddlers up to 36 months old.

To ensure the effectiveness of the lockdown in containing the spread of COVID-19, all stores that are currently permitted to remain open for the sale of other essential goods, including supermarkets, may therefore sell these products. We have been in contact with the CEO’s of the large retailers, who have undertaken to sell these products at prices which simply cover their basic costs of production and distribution for the period of the lockdown.

Hospitals and clinics may directly procure these products as necessary to provide for the infants in their care.

Any further queries in this regard may be directed to the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.

Issued by: Department of Trade and Industry

SOURCE
South African Government
The tools are part of Facebook’s ongoing efforts in keeping communities safe, connected and informed during this pandemic
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 9, 2020/ -- Facebook (www.Facebook.co.za) has launched key resources to help faith groups stay connected and engaged during the current COVID-19 outbreak. The resources include the Faith on Facebook Resource Hub  and the Faith on Facebook toolkit , both providing guidance and step-by-step tips that faith-based groups can use to keep their communities engaged while observing social distancing. The tools are part of Facebook’s ongoing efforts in keeping communities safe, connected and informed during this pandemic.

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Some of the tools that faith-based groups can use to connect with their communities during the COVID-19 outbreak include:

  • Facebook Pages: Explore how to build an active and engaged audience of faith communities, advice on posting interesting content, as well as creating events and using Groups for discussions.
  • Facebook Groups: Groups allow people to come together around a common cause, discussing issues and ideas, posting photos and sharing related content.
  • Facebook Events: Host virtual events using Facebook Events to spread the word.
  • Utilising WhatsApp: Consider sending bite sized sermons or recordings through the voice note feature on WhatsApp to members, using either the dedicated broadcast list function or creating a New Group list.
  • Watch Party: Host a Watch Party for your Group, choosing videos that are relevant to your community and invite members to join and discuss.                                            
  • Facebook Live: Stream live stream events and performances on Facebook, utilizing interactive features such as reactions, shares and comments enabling you to further engage your audience.  

Commenting, Facebook Africa Regional Director Nunu Ntshingila said, “At a time like this, our mission has never been more relevant, to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. We know that faith leaders across Africa are grappling with the unexpected challenges in serving their members digitally, and we’re committed to providing them with the resources and tools to support them as much as possible”. She added, “Our ultimate goal is to equip faith-based communities with the tools to help them continue faith conversations throughout the pandemic.”