Drug industry back on full alert as COVID-19 cases resurge

Korean companies order in-office employees to work from home, multinational companies rotate shifts

Resurging confirmed cases centering Seoul metropolitan area put companies back to emergency working system

The pharmaceutical industry is on full alert again as the confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is resurging rapidly around Seoul metropolitan area.

 

Some companies have already reinitiated emergency working system with employees working in shifts or from home.

 

The South Korean government has recently decided to toughen the social distancing measures in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province to level two.

 

The threat of massive surge in confirmed COVID-19 cases is imminent after more than 200 cases have been confirmed in a single day.

 

Daily confirmed case of COVID-19 reported in last seven days (Source: KCDC)

The pharmaceutical industry is now in a heightened alert mode.

 

But because many companies have implemented flexible working conditions during the first surge of COVID-19, the companies were able to take the necessary actions quickly.

 

Centering heavily affected regions, the pharmaceutical companies are ordering the employees to work from home.

 

Most of multinational companies order employees to work in shifts Multinational pharmaceutical companies are taking actions fast.

 

Even before the government raised the social distancing level, most of the multinational companies have been rotating working hour shifts.

 

The employees have been coming to the office every other day or working from home two to three days a week.

 

But with the resurging of confirmed cases, the companies are reiterating the need of the strict measures.

 

Due to the government’s tightened infection control measures in Seoul metropolitan area and a confirmed case reported from Seoul LS Yongsan Tower, Janssen has closed down the office until the end of the week and disinfected the area for the safety of employees.

 

In particular, the employees working at the LS Yongsan Tower are all working from home until the end of the week.

 

GSK Korea, also headquartering in the same building, is recommending the employees to work from home.

 

And a biweekly schedule was given to those who have to come into the office.

 

Lilly had their in-office employees to work from home from Aug.

 

18 to 19, and they are rotating their office hours from Aug.

 

20.

 

Their sales people are only allowed to visit designated hospitals.

 

Following the government’s order, Bayer has decided to work from home twice a week until the end of August, while Sanofi, Novartis, MSD and Takeda Pharmaceuticals are working from home every other day from Aug.

 

18.

 

Companies like Roche, Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), Astellas and Pfizer have already been rotating office hour shifts or voluntarily working from home, and they plan to maintain the existing system.

 

An associate from a multinational company commented, “The company would closely follow the reports of confirmed cases and update the working guideline accordingly to put the employees’ safety first.” Large Korean companies to work from home again Korean pharmaceutical companies have ended the order of working from home and returned to their regular working system as the social distancing has ended in last May.

 

But with the resurge, the companies are bringing back the social distancing working system.

 

First, Yuhan has ordered all employees to work from home, and the same order was give to in-office employees at the GC Pharma headquarters.

 

JW Pharmaceutical is rotating two-shift to work from home.

 

The company seems to have different shift systems in each department.

 

Daewoong Pharmaceutical has asked employees to voluntarily work from home but to refrain from convening an in-person meeting or gathering.

 

Dong-A ST has banned employees to come to office in regions with level-two social distancing order and refrained them from visiting hospitals.

 

Boryung Pharmaceutical and Chong Kun Dang are still reviewing the working system as they closely watch the emergency status.

 

An associate commented, “From various perspectives, the company is reviewing the period, type and subject of the shift in working system,” and “A guideline would be set as the situation is worsening.’ Moreover, off-line symposium and workshops, initially planned as the spread of COVID-19 seemed contained, are to be canceled.

 

Korea United Pharm had scheduled an employee workshop from Aug.

 

21 to 22, but now the company is considering on cancelling it.

 

Even if the event carries on, it would only convene less than 50 people.

 

The workshop venue is located in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, where an event with over 50 people is banned.

 

Korea United Pharm official said, “There is a possibility of canceling the event.

 

But if not, the company would strictly follow the infection control regulations.”