All officers, staff and visitors are to be allowed entry only if they are using face cover or masks

The government has issued fresh Covid-19 prevention guidelines for offices and employees after a number of positive cases were reported from several establishments.

The guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health Ministry and Family Welfare on June 4 say that only asymptomatic employees and visitors would be allowed to enter office premises.

Employees who reside in Containment Zones should be asked to stay at home. Until the place is denotified (as a containment zone), they will continue work from home and this will not be counted as a leave period.

Moreover, it is mandatory to maintain distance from the driver for those who use vehicles to commute. Those drivers who belong to containment zones should not be allowed to drive vehicles. It is also important to ensure that proper disinfection of steering, keys, doors and handles is done.

The officers must ensure that the aged, pregnant employees and other employees who are under medical treatment must take extra care. They must not come in contact with the public. If possible, the organisations must provide them with work from home options.

The Health Ministry has made it essential for offices to have separate entry and exit of the officers, other staff and visitors.

The other guidelines include:

All officers and staff / visitors to be allowed entry only if using face cover/masks. The face cover/mask has to be worn at all times inside the office premises.

Meetings to be held through video-conferencing as far as feasible.

Effective strategies to be put in place for the lunch hour, office hour and coffee or tea breaks.

Suitable measures should be taken in the parking areas to avoid crowds and it must be ensured that social distancing is followed.

If there is any valet parking, then the operating staff needs to wear a face mask and gloves.

All the social distancing rules need to be followed if there are shops, stalls and cafeteria within the office

The office kitchen staff must follow the social distancing rules.

It is mandatory for every organisation to undertake frequent sanitization along with proper cleaning. Every office must have hand sanitizers, soap and water in the washroom to avoid the spread of any disease.

The offices need to make proper seating arrangements for maintaining social distancing. While using the elevator, the number of people should be restricted. Also, a large gathering inside the office should not be allowed, the new guidelines say.