No need to close entire office building for one or two COVID-19 cases: Govt

As India entered Lockdown 4.0, the health ministry came out with guidelines on the workplace that recommend sealing off the entire building for 48 hours only in case of a large outbreak of COVID-19 and not if one or two cases are reported.

“If there are one or two cases reported, the disinfection procedure will be limited to places/areas visited by the patient in the past 48 hrs. There is no need to close the entire office building/halt work in other areas of the office and work can be resumed after disinfection as per laid down protocol,” the health ministry guidelines said.

The guidelines on ‘preventive measures to contain the spread of coronavirus in workplace settings’ state that if there is a larger outbreak, the entire building will have to be sealed for 48 hours for thorough disinfection.

“All the staff will work from home till the building is adequately disinfected and is declared fit for re-occupation,” it said.

The Ministry said if any individual is found to be suffering from symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, it must be immediately reported to the concerned central or state health authorities as well as on the helpline number 1075.

“A risk assessment will be undertaken by the designated public health authority (district RRT/treating physician) and accordingly further advice shall be made regarding the management of the case, his/her contacts and need for disinfection,” the Health Ministry guidelines said.

“The necessary actions for contact tracing and disinfection of the workplace will start once the report of the patient is received as positive. The report will be expedited for this purpose,” it said.

The Health Ministry said that all the employees and visitors will follow simple public health measures like respiratory etiquettes, physical distancing of at least one meter, mandatory use of face covers or masks and practice frequent hand washing for at least 40-60 seconds even when hands are not visibly dirty and use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers for at least 20 seconds.

“Any staff requesting home quarantine based on the containment zone activities in their residential areas should be permitted to work from home,” the Ministry said.