Unlock 5 : school, train, workplace guidelines issued

The central government has asked companies to refrain from using centralized air conditioning systems at workplaces during the Coronavirus epidemic, formulate a specific holiday policy on the Kovid-19 virus, and re-design the workplace. Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday issued Kovid-19 Safe Workplace Guidelines for industries and establishments. These guidelines have been prepared by the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).

The guidelines state, 'Every person at the workplace (with or without symptoms) should be considered susceptible to infection and the entire plan should be prepared to keep this in mind. All the risk factors including different places of work and people working should be taken into consideration.

The policy calls for structural changes in the workplace. It involves the installation of transparent glass and other appropriate divides between different places of work and preventing employees from going for smoking etc. because social distance is not adhered to there. In addition to the demand for ventilating the workplace, the policy states that the use of centralized air conditioners should be reduced and if necessary, separate air conditioners should be fitted with HEPA filters. According to ESACEC guidelines, 'Kovid-19 infected employees should be encouraged to inform their superiors about this and get medical care at home. It has been said to spread this message that even if there are minor symptoms, the employees should stay at home and rest. If people in one's family are infected with Kovid-19, they should be allowed to stay at home and take care of their family members.

According to the guidelines, necessary changes should also be made in the human resource policy of companies and the safety concerns of all should be prominently displayed. It has been said that everyone should get health protection under ESIC or Private Mediclaim Policy. ESIC has asked the establishments to cancel all non-urgent meetings and adopt digital methods for this. If possible, meetings should be held in an open space. It has also been said that non-essential trips should not be made. The guidelines say that employees should be prevented from visiting the cafeteria and are encouraged to bring home food and eat at their seating area. It has also been said that if possible, employees should be provided a facility to bring work from home to work and they should be told to avoid using public transport and to work on foot or by bicycle when possible. The guidelines ask companies to assess the risk of Kovid-19 during work and plan to deal with the disease at the workplace, classifying employees as risk ratios. Exhibitions to be held at the company level will be allowed from October 15.

Instruction on schools

The Home Ministry has empowered the state and union territories to decide on the reopening of schools and coaching institutes, saying that they can implement this in a phased manner after 15 October. According to other guidelines, swimming bridges used for training of players will be allowed to open from October 15. According to the ministry, cinema, theater, multiples will be allowed to open from October 15 with 50 percent seating capacity.

Maharashtra: Train and Bar Permitted

The Maharashtra government has extended the lockdown till 31 October because of the coronavirus epidemic on Wednesday. However, the state government said that hotels, restaurants, and bars would be allowed to operate from October 5 with restricted capacity. The new guidelines state that all trains that start and end travel within the state will be resumed with immediate effect, subject to the health protocol for Kovid-19. Hotels, food courts, restaurants, and bars can operate more than 50 percent from October 5 or with capacity set by local authorities. An official release said that a separate standard operating procedure would be issued by the Department of Tourism for the precautions to be taken while operating these establishments.

The Union Home Ministry has said that amusement parks and similar places will be allowed to open from October 15 for which the SOP will be issued by the Ministry of Health.