CDC guidelines could change daily office life amid the coronavirus
Temperature checks, face masks and 6 feet between workspaces are among the recommendations.
Offices before the pandemic will look very different in the future.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated reopening recommendations on its website this week that could lead to changes to modern office life amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The guidelines include wearing face coverings at all times, temperature and symptom checks for employees upon arrival and separating workspaces by 6 feet inside the office. If desk separation isn't possible, the CDC recommends installing plastic shields around workspaces.
The recommendations also extend to common areas such as break rooms and cafeterias. The CDC urges employers to block off these shared spaces and replace communal office perks like coffee makers and snack bins.
"Replace high-touch communal items, such as coffee pots, water coolers, and bulk snacks, with alternatives such as prepackaged, single-serving items," the guidelines say.
Some recommendations would likely be difficult to put into practice, such as "limit use and occupancy of elevators to maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet."
The CDC's office reopening guidelines also extend to the ways people commute. The agency encourages people to drive to work alone, instead of taking mass transportation in order to avoid potential exposure to the virus.
Tech giants such as Facebook, Twitter and Amazon have begun sharing reopening plans, including changes to their offices like decreased occupancy. Twitter and Facebook have also said they will let some employees permanently transition to remote work.
