Inclusion of COVID-19 in the OH&S Policy - do we need to address this?

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, do we need to address this in our OH&SMS Policy as it is a global risk that caught us unaware in 2019 & 20?
Our policy is coming up for revision and I was wondering whether to revise the same to include this pandemic in the policy.

Dear S Seetharaman,

The Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OH-SMS) scheme establishes consistent requirements for certifying that an organisation effectively manages its OH&S risks, and meets organizational OH&S objectives and relevant legal requirements. The scheme is based on the Occupational Health and Safety Management System Standard ISO 45001:2018.

The stated benefits of ISO 45001:2018 is a robust and effective set of processes for improving work safety in global supply chains, and is applicable for organizations of all sizes, from all industries and jurisdictions of operation. An ultimate expectation of the standard is to help reduce workplace injuries and illnesses around the world.

ISO 45001 is aligned with other management systems standards such as ISO 14001 and ISO 9001, allowing organisations to easily integrate systems.

Now coming to the safety measures required to be followed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The concept of occupational safety is different from the pandemic-induced safety measures. In view of this, it may not be advisable to link both together. Better to cherish their independence.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

Dear Mr. Divekar, Thanks very much for your lightning response to my query. Well addressed. The point was discussed in the Management Review and minuted. I can give this response and close this issue. We do have Risk identification where this point is dealt with in detail. Thanks again.. Raman