The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID- 19) outbreak has developed rapidly since the World Health Organisation (WHO) was first informed of a pneumonia outbreak of unknown cause in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China in December 2019.
The WHO declared the outbreak of COVID-19 a pandemic on 11 March 2020 and since then the number of reported cases has grown to over 375,000 (as at 25 March 2020). Many countries have implemented drastic measures to reduce the spread of the virus, which has significantly impacted on travel and the operations of many businesses.
The need for timely and trustworthy information about COVID-19 has prompted the WHO and various national authorities to monitor, track and respond to inaccurate information with evidence-based guidance. This includes providing valuable information on reducing the risk of infections via airborne and contaminated surface transmissions.
This Risk Bulletin is intended to provide guidance to businesses on how to review and update their Business Continuity Plan (BCP) during a public health emergency such as COVID-19.
While many organisations and national health authorities are better prepared for public health emergencies since the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003, there is much to gain from a review and update of current BCP to best manage the COVID-19 public health emergency.
The purpose of a BCP is to:
Reviewing your BCP
As part of the BCP review the following measures should be considered:
The links to follow should be reviewed regularly for updates on COVID-19. The information should also be used to update your BCP and to communicate regularly with staff, customers and suppliers.
World Health Organisation | |
Australia | Department of Health: COVID-19 health alert Government advice on how to prepare an emergency management plan |
China | National Health Commission Anti-Virus Fight |
Hong Kong | |
Indonesia | Ministry of Health |
Korea | Ministry of Health and Welfare |
Malaysia | Ministry of Health |
Singapore | Singapore Business Federation Policies and Guidelines Enterprise Singapore Guide on Business Continuity Planning for 2019 Novel Coronavirus |
Thailand | Department of Disease Control |
Others | Johns Hopkins University CSSE 2019-nCov global cases |
For additional information relating to Business Continuity Planning please refer to: Chubb Risk Engineering Services – BCP planning after a disaster
Contact us to find out how we can help you get covered against potential risks