Amidst the extension of the lockdown in India due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) has issued a set of guidelines to be followed at work spaces. Here, MHA has said that there needs to be a one-hour gap between shifts.
"Work places will stagger the lunch break of staff, to ensure social distancing," said the MHA order.
The MHA has also asked companies to sanitise the work spaces between shifts.
While the lockdown has been extended till May 3 for the general public, a set of industries have been allowed to operate from April 20 if they fall in non-containment zones.
Both traditional offices as well as manufacturing units would need to follow these rules.
Also Read: Live updates on Coronavirus outbreak in India
MHA has also said that in these work spaces, persons aged above 65 years, those with co-morbidities and parents of children below the age of 5 years could be encouraged to work from home.
Apart from manufacturing units in industrial townships and special economic zones where resuming operations has been permitted by MHA from April 20 onwards, several workplaces like banks, regulatory bodies and financial institutions have continued functioning. This is because these entities are categorised as essential services.
MHA has said that all work spaces need to have adequate arrangements for temperature screening and provide sanitizers at convenient places.
Fever is one of the common symptoms of COVID-19. Hence, regular monitoring of the body temperature could be effective in alerting health authorities in case of any anomalies.
Large meetings have been prohibited across all organisations. Further, the home affairs ministry has said that use of Arogya Setu application must be encouraged for both public and private sector.
Arogya Setu application has been developed by the government as a guide to the public about the best practices, risks about being in contact with a potential COVID-19 person and also provides advisories about the virus.
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