Social and physical distancing has to be followed in all areas including parks, gyms, clubs and lift lobbies

The Health Ministry has released guidelines for gated residential complexes, asking them to provide hand sanitizers and ensure thermal screening of staff and visitors at their entry points due to COVID-19.

Only asymptomatic individuals will be allowed to enter inside to ensure utmost safety of all residents, the ministry has said, according to a report in The Hindu.

Vendors, household help and car- cleaners will also need to undergo such screening.

According to The Hindu report, social and physical distancing has to be followed in all areas which include parks, gyms, and clubs and lift lobbies.

The use of face covers and masks has to be made mandatory and respiratory etiquettes have to be strictly followed. This involves strict practice of covering one’s mouth and nose while coughing/sneezing with a tissue/handkerchief/flexed elbow, the ministry noted.

The report quoted the guidelines as saying that monitoring of the facility will be regularly done and it shall be regularly reviewed by the registered respiratory therapists (RRTs) to provide guidance to the Residents Welfare Association (RWA) and residential society.

The guidelines add that all persons above the age of 65, pregnant women, children below the age of 10 are advised to stay home for their own safety.

RWA shall encourage residents to self-report symptoms and facilitate their testing, isolation and quarantine of contacts.

The RWA will provide counselling, support and guidance to COVID infected individuals and their families.

Special attention should be provided to those households who have no other family member to take care of the dependants, The Hindu report said.

If the gated complex is declared as a containment zone, the RWAs will help the authorities in carrying out various activities as required in the containment plan.

The health ministry guidelines say the facility shall be regularly inspected by the RRTs to provide guidance to the RWA/residential society concerned, according to the report.

Read the complete report by The Hindu