2 Lessons COVID-19 Has Taught Us About Security

Healthcare responses, social distancing protocols and even political management all have their lessons to learn. But so too does security, as this post will explore.

When COVID-19 hit Bermuda in March 2020, it started an unprecedented period of social distancing and staying home. On 4^th April, the government announced the 14-day ‘Shelter in Place’ measures, which was eventually extended for a further two weeks.

Amongst other things, these measures highlighted how easily unexpected events can force you away from your place of work. For almost a month, Bermudians could only leave home for groceries, pharmaceuticals and medical emergencies.

While many businesses were able to operate remotely, they still had to leave their usual office unattended for several weeks. That called into question how secure their offices really are.

Expect the unexpected

While you might feel like your office is secure day-to-day, the only way you’ll find out is when the worst happens. When you’re stuck at home without access to the office – and without comprehensive security measures in place – it’s only natural to fear the worst.

The lesson to be learned here is to expect the unexpected. Invest in security that prepares your office for the worst-case scenario. With the right commercial security measures in place, you can receive e-mail notifications to confirm whether your doors are locked or if your system is not armed.

It allows you to stay in control of your premises around the clock, whether you’re away, at home, or even off the island. That provides complete peace of mind, regardless of what’s going on outside the office.

As well as the primary purpose of security equipment – securing your office – the pandemic raised issues when it comes to the day to day use of such equipment. While it’s great for keeping intruders out, access control systems on many premises require people to touch buttons, keypads or other devices to enter and exit.

When a virus is rapidly spreading from person to person, this simple function becomes less than ideal. While COVID-19 was mainly airborne, there was still a risk of transmission via surfaces, where the virus could survive for several days.

COVID-19 wasn’t the first infectious virus – and it won’t be the last. Going forward, we’re likely to see a shift to more advanced forms of access control. Auto-sensing card readers and exit buttons, and auto-actuating doors, can enable a true no-touch scenario. This new-normal will make things a bit easier for businesses in future, minimising disruption should anything similar happen again.

If you want to learn from the disruption of COVID-19 and improve your premises’ security, Selectron is on hand to help across Bermuda. With the latest security equipment and a wealth of expertise, we can hand-pick the best solutions for your needs and professionally install them to protect your commercial property.