With the number of positive cases of COVID-19 increasing amongst various officials of government ministries and departments, the Centre has issued a new set of guidelines for the staff of central-government offices, to control the spread of the virus.
While not more than 20 employees or officials can be present in the office on any given day, from now on, only asymptomatic staff will be permitted to come to work. Those with the slightest hint of cold, cough or fever will have to stay home.
Staff living in the containment zones will be working from home till the zones are denotified. Rosters will be revised accordingly.
All under secretaries/deputy secretaries who are sharing cabins will be coming to office on alternate days in keeping with social distancing norms.
No section will have more than two officials at a time, and office hours will be staggered so that only 20 employees are present in the office at any given time.
Windows will be kept open wherever possible to facilitate air circulation and ventilation.
Employees have been directed to wear face mask and face shields throughout the day, inside the office. Those not complying or breaking rules will face disciplinary action.
Yellow biomedical waste bins have been installed where used mask and gloves shall be discarded. Employees have been asked to strictly adhere to the practice.
Virtual conferences can be attended by the concerned officials from their respective rooms. Meetings in board rooms and face-to-face meetings will be avoided. Participants will be provided the equipment required to facilitate their participation in such meetings from their respective computers. Interactions are encouraged only via phones, intercom or VC.
While hand sanitising dispensers have been installed at strategic locations, employees have been told to wash their hands every half an hour.
Electric switches, door knobs, washroom fixtures, elevator buttons, hand rails, and other frequently-touched areas will have to be wiped or sanitised every one hour with one per cent sodium hypochlorite.
Staff members have been advised to frequently clean even their personal equipment, such as keyboards, mice, phones and AC remotes with a disinfectant.
One metre distance has to be maintained, whethering, sitting, standing or walking within the premises. Seating for visitors has also been arranged accordingly inside the cabins of officers.
