Centre Issues New SOPs As Malls, Restaurants, Hotels Reopen On Monday

With malls, restaurants and offices being allowed to open from Monday, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry on Thursday issued the SOP on preventive measures there to contain spread of Covid-19, saying only asymptomatic people will be allowed with masks and entrances will have sanitiser dispensers and thermal screening.

Noting shopping malls get frequented by a large number of people for shopping, entertainment and food, it said: "To prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection, it is important that required social distancing and other preventive measures are followed,"

Similar revised guidelines have been issued for offices and hotels.

Guidelines for Malls

Shopping malls in containment zones will remain closed, and only those outside containment zones will be allowed to open up.

Physical distancing of at least 6 feet has to be maintained.

Use of face covers and masks and frequent hand washing is mandatory.

Use of Aarogya Setu app has also been advised.

Spitting has been strictly prohibited.

Employees who are at a higher risk -- older, pregnant and employees who have underlying medical conditions, to take extra precautions. They should preferably not be exposed to any front-line work requiring direct contact with the public.

The shopping mall management must facilitate work from home wherever feasible.

Preferably, separate entry and exits for visitors, workers and goods/supplies should be organised.

The staff for home deliveries shall be screened thermally by the shopping mall authorities prior to allowing home delivery.

The number of people in the elevators should be restricted, while use of escalators with one person on alternate steps may be encouraged.

Large gatherings or congregations, gaming arcades and Children Play areas along with cinema halls inside the malls have been discouraged.

Persons above 65 years of age, with comorbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years are advised to stay at home, except for essential and health purposes.

Guideines for Offices

Employees residing in a COVID-19 containment zone should be allowed to work from home and not attend office till the time the area is denotified and that period will not be counted as leave, the Union health ministry said on Thursday.

An entire office building need not be closed if one or two cases of COVID-19 are reported there and work can resume after disinfection as per the laid down protocols.

If there is a larger outbreak, the entire building will have to be closed for 48 hours and all the staff will work from home till the building is adequately disinfected and is declared fit for re-occupation.

Offices in containment zones will remain closed except for medical and essential services and only those outside will be allowed to open up, the ministry said.

Hand hygiene (sanitizer dispenser) and thermal screening provisions should be put in place at the entrances mandatorily and only asymptomatic staff/visitors should be allowed.

People above 65, those with co-morbidities and pregnant women are advised to stay at home.

All officers and staff will be allowed entry only if they are using face cover/masks and these should be worn at all times on the office premises, it said.

The interior of the vehicles should be disinfected using 1 per cent sodium hypochlorite solution/spray and the steering, door handles, keys, etc. should be properly disinfected.

Routine issue of visitor/temporary passes should be suspended, and visitors with proper permission of the officer they want to meet should be allowed after being properly screened.

Meetings, as far as feasible, should be done through video conferencing and large gatherings prohibited.

Frequently touched surfaces like door knobs, elevator buttons, hand rails, benches, washroom fixtures on office premises and common areas should be cleaned and regularly disinfected.

Seating arrangement should ensure a distance of at least 1 metre between patrons as far as feasible.

Guidelines for Hospitality Sector

Entrance to have mandatory hand hygiene (sanitiser dispenser) and thermal screening provisions.

Only asymptomatic staff and guests shall be allowed.

All staff and guests to be allowed entry only if using face cover/masks. The face cover/masks has to be worn at all times inside the hotel.

Adequate manpower shall be deployed by hotel management for ensuring social distancing norms.

Staff should additionally wear gloves and take other required precautionary measures.

All employees who are at higher risk, i.e., older employees, pregnant employees and employees who have underlying medical conditions, to take extra precautions.

Proper crowd management in the hotel as well as in outside premises like parking lots-duly following social distancing norms shall be ensured. Large gatherings/congregations continue to remain prohibited.

Valet parking, if available, shall be operational with operating staff wearing face covers/masks and gloves as appropriate. Proper disinfection of steering, door handles, keys, etc., of the vehicle, should be taken up.

Preferably separate entry and exits for guests, staff and goods/supplies shall be organised. Maintaining physical distancing of a minimum of six feet, when queuing up for entry and inside the hotel as far as feasible. Specific markings may be made with sufficient distance to manage the queue and ensure social distancing in the premises.

The number of people in the elevators shall be restricted, duly maintaining social distancing norms. The use of escalators with one person on alternate steps may be encouraged.

Details of the guest -- travel history, medical condition, etc., along with ID and self-declaration form must be provided by the guest at the reception.

(With Agency Inputs)