No Graphic staff has COVID-19

The Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) has discounted a false publication by a social media news platform which reported that 36 staff of the company have tested positive for COVID-19.

The GCGL in a press release signed by its Corporate Communications Manager, Mr Emmanuel Agyei Arthur said there is no truth in the story which has gone viral on social media.

Precautionary measure

The false publication from WhatsApp News twisted the GCGL management's proactive reaction to information that one of the company's stakeholders who had visited its premises recently had tested positive for Covid-19.

In all, 36 people, who had interacted with the stakeholder, were tested yesterday, July 2, 2020, and are in self-isolation as required by the Covid-19 protocol while awaiting the results.

"To be proactive in protecting staff, management decided to make an arrangement for all who were exposed to the person in line of duty to test for Covid-19 in order to know their status", the release said.

"The company's Resident Medical Officer, therefore, requested the Korley Clottey Municipal Health Directorate to test staff who interacted with the stakeholder in line of their duty".

The Resident Medical Officer," Dr Jacqui Barnes, said: "This was a precautionary measure to ensure the health and safety of our employees so that if any of them has been infected by the stakeholder, we can isolate the person early enough for treatment, even before symptoms show,".

Test results still not in

"The false publication came late evening of the same day the tests were taken. As I speak, the results of the tests are still not in so what test report is the publication referring to?," Dr Barnes stressed.

Strict adherence to Covid-19 protocols

The release also detailed the company's rigorous adherence to the government's directive on social distancing at workplaces.

The company has decongested its offices by maintaining half of the workforce and run virtual meetings. Additionally, staff fill health declaration forms when they return from their turn of "social distancing leave."

"Thus, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has kept to this policy by providing the necessary facilities at its premises to ensure the safety of employees and external stakeholders," the release said.

"These measures include the wearing of mask before entry and throughout presence in the company, hand sanitizer dispensers and siting of veronica buckets at all controlled points of the company's offices around the country, temperature checking, as well as distribution of face masks and hand sanitizers to staff".

Read the entire statement below;