{"id":12666,"date":"2020-04-01T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-01T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wellable.co\/blog\/wellness-programs-help-mitigate-the-effects-of-pandemics\/"},"modified":"2022-11-04T05:12:33","modified_gmt":"2022-11-04T09:12:33","slug":"wellness-programs-help-mitigate-the-effects-of-pandemics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wellable.co\/blog\/wellness-programs-help-mitigate-the-effects-of-pandemics\/","title":{"rendered":"Wellness Programs Help Mitigate The Effects Of Pandemics"},"content":{"rendered":"

The benefits of employee wellness programs are numerous, with their obvious gains addressing better economic output and a healthier population. Now, as communities across the US and the rest of the world battle the COVID-19 pandemic, they\u2019re proving beneficial in another way\u2014by mitigating the virus\u2019s consequences.<\/p>\n

Researchers have pinpointed two demographics that are highly susceptible to hospitalization, serious complications, and death due to the coronavirus: (i) the elderly and (ii) those with underlying health conditions. That means over 11 million American adults<\/a> with chronic conditions are at a severe risk from COVID-19. Of course, that number may be greater as many of these conditions are underreported.<\/p>\n

While researchers have been working off of rapidly-changing and limited information, initial data<\/a> suggests that the fatality rates for those with cardiovascular disease (10.5%), diabetes (7.3%), chronic respiratory disease (6.3%), hypertension (6.0%), and cancer (5.6%) greatly outnumber those for people with no underlying health condition (0.9%). The vast majority (87%) of those in critical condition with the virus also have an underlying condition. Interestingly, early observations<\/a> in Wuhan revealed that, in many cases, those dying were not succumbing from the effects of COVID-19 directly (such as pneumonia). Instead, the cause of death had come from existing problems that were exacerbated (such as stroke or kidney failure).<\/p>\n

Age also has an exponential effect on mortality, and older populations also have more pre-existing conditions. For those over 80 years old, fatality rates seem to be as high as 15% (and possibly greater), while those under 55 have a roughly 0.9% chance of death. Even as the situation changes from week to week, these at-risk groups have not seen their odds improve.<\/p>\n

While communities try to learn from this experience, governments and medical facilities are implementing new protocols and preparedness plans. For businesses with holistic wellness programs<\/a> in place, this pandemic is proving to be less of a challenge than it might have been. A healthier workforce\u2014better equipped to deal with all the consequences of a public health crisis\u2014is proving to be an incredibly beneficial long-term and far-reaching investment.<\/p>\n

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Prepare Employees For Unexpected Challenges<\/h2>\n

Knowing that people in poor health are more likely to experience COVID-19 hospitalizations and fatalities, employee wellness programs play a direct role in mitigating this pandemic\u2019s consequences, in terms of total fatalities and health complications. They also enable their workforce to better adjust to the lifestyle changes resulting from current stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines. The most effective programs help their employees:<\/p>\n