COVID-19: Sanitisation, social distancing among health ministry's measures to control spread in offices

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday asked individuals to practise social physical distancing, as well as raise awareness level and follow steps undertaken by the government to check the spread of the dreaded novel coronavirus.

The ministry also updated guidelines on clinical management and dead body management.

The ministry also released an advisory, citing preventive measures to be taken by all employees of ministries and departments to control the spread of COVID-19.

A few pointers are listed below:

Offices should install thermal scanners at entry of government building as feasible. Mandatorily place hand sanitisers at entry points. Those found with flu-like symptoms may be advised to take proper treatment/quarantine etc. They should discourage, to the maximum extent possible, entry of visitors to the office complex.

Meetings, as far as feasible, should be done through video conferencing and meetings involving large number of people should be avoided. Non-essential official travel should also be avoided.

Essential correspondence should be undertaken on official email and sending files and documents to other offices should be avoided to the extent possible.

Proper cleaning and frequent sanitisation of the workplace, particularly of the frequently touched surfaces should be ensured.

All employees who are at higher risk i.e. older employees, pregnant employees and employees who have underlying medical conditions, should take extra precautions.

In India, the toll has touched 137 -- with Maharashtra emerging as the new epicentre. Earlier in the day, the Indian Council for Medical Research appealed that private laboratories should offer COVlD-19 diagnosis at no cost.