VIJAYAWADA: At a time when the numbers of coronavirus infections are rising in states like Maharashtra and Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, the state health authorities have issued fresh Standard Operating Procedures to be complied with by all public and private institutions, including educational institutions, to contain spread of the virus.
As the Union ministry of health and family welfare issued fresh SOPs recently, the state health authorities communicated that the same be strictly followed at all workplaces.
Health principal secretary Anil Kumar Singhal directed the director of health Dr Geetha Prasadini to communicate the SOPs to all district medical and health officers asking them to bring about awareness and ensure their proper implementation at all public and private offices, institutions, organisations and workplaces.
The SOPs specify about generic preventive measures like maintenance of a distance of six feet in public places, use of face masks at all times, practice frequent handwashing with soap, respiratory etiquettes, self-monitoring of health and installation and use of Arogya Setu.
Specific preventive measures for offices include hand hygiene at entrances, thermal screening, allowing only asymptomatic staff, drivers to maintain physical distancing, particularly within rooms/spaces designated to them, disinfection of vehicles twice a day, allowing officers and staff only if they wear face mask, proper crowd management, mandating valet parking, proper cleaning and frequent sanitation of workplaces, and proper disposal of face masks and gloves.
Measures to be taken on occurrence of cases like isolating a patient in a room until the doctor examines him or her, informing the nearest medical facility, take risk assessment and manage cases as per the existing protocol.
It was felt that people have started ignoring SOPs that have been issued. A good number of educational institutions are not following the norms making their staff and students vulnerable to getting infected with the virus.
AP Private Colleges Managements Association president N. Ram Kumar said, “It is true some institutions are not following Covid-19 norms assuming that the spread of virus has been effectively contained. We have been informing them to follow all norms.”
Director of health Dr Geeta Prasadini said “We have communicated the SOPs to all DMHOs and urged them to ensure compliance by all public and private institutions in the districts. Non-compliance of Covid-19 protocols will be strictly dealt with.”
