OPM Takes Steps to Avoid Zika Virus

The recent havoc made by the Zika Virus in many parts of the world and its rapid spread is not taken lightly by the Office of Personnel Management or OPM. It has created alternative work plans for federal employees to ensure that no employee gets accidentally infected by it while doing the job and lose his or her health. Acting Director of OPM, Beth Cobert recently released a memo that advises federal managers to ensure that the employees are not infected by the virus by taking several steps.

The Content of the Memo Released by OPM

The memo that was released on March 7 instructed the agency managers to ensure that the employees who need to connect with someone aboard get the option of teleworking or teleconferencing. This directive will assist in ensuring that no federal worker has to visit a Zika infected nation and becomes vulnerable to the infection.

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The memo further urged the managers and supervisors to make sure that all the employees who are opposed to the idea of visiting a Zika affected nation should be given due consideration. The memo also advised the employees and their families living in the affected areas to reduce their exposure to mosquito bites.

Basic Details of the Zika Virus

The virus is mostly transmitted through mosquito bites or by sexual contact. It can cause symptoms like rashes, fever, conjunctivitis or joint pain reported the CDC. Though this disease is not fatal, it may lead to serious problems like infecting yet to be born fetuses with microcephaly. Microcephaly is a disease that hampers brain development as the size of a baby’s head is much smaller as compared to the head of a healthy baby.

Other Steps

Apart from urging the agency managers to avoid employee travel in the affected areas, the OPM also took another vital step. It authorized departments of Health and Human Services, State and the U.S. Agency for International Development to hire staff that is competent in dealing with the problem abroad and protect the federals working in the affected areas.

The hiring spree is going on at a rapid pace. Several jobs like vacancies of medical officers and nurses at State were highlighted by the Acting Director of OPM, Beth Cobert a few days ago. The details of such newly created jobs were also made available on the official USAJOBS.gov. website.