A cycling studio that home-delivered bikes so its clients could maintain their fitness, Australia’s first online agricultural show and a pop-up record-shop that provided virtual browsing through its stacks are among the big winners in the COVIDSafe Awards.
The Department for Health and Wellbeing’s Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, said the seven winners would each receive $5,000 to recognise their efforts in keeping their customers and clients safe during tougher COVID-19 restrictions earlier this year.
“We know that COVID-19 is not only a health issue, but one which affected the state’s economy and impacted a lot of small businesses,” Professor Spurrier said.
“Thesebusinesses not only complied with Directions but found new ways to thrive whilekeeping communities connected, and I congratulate each of the winners and finalistsfor their successful applications.
“Local businesses and their employees have been hit hard by COVID-19 and these awards are a small way we can recognise their efforts.”
TheAwards were open to all businesses operating within South Australia with an ABN,and applicants were asked to submit a summary of how they demonstratedcompliance and innovation to be ‘COVIDSafe’ in their workplace during the toughrestrictions earlier in the pandemic.
Professor Spurrier said the panel had a difficult job deciding the winners.
“Local businesses have done an exceptional job and their willingness to adjust quickly alongside changing public health advice has been instrumental in stopping the spread of COVID-19,” Professor Spurrier said.
“We received almost 400 applications across seven categories and it was exciting to see the creative and innovative ways businesses adapted to continue to operate during the pandemic.”
