COVID-19: Odisha SRC Issues Advisory for Workplaces

Bhubaneswar: As the coronavirus is spreading its tentacles across the world, the Odisha Government today issued an advisory for workplaces to prevent infection with the deadly virus.

The advisory issued by the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) suggests various precautionary measures to be adopted at workplaces:

1) Make sure your workplace is clean & hygienic
• Surfaces ( e.g. desks & tables) and objects (telephone, keyboards) need to be wiped with disinfectant like 70% alcohol regularly
2) Promote regular and thorough hand washing by employees
• Make available soap/ sanitizing hand rub etc. near the wash basin
• Make available running water as frequent hand washing kills the virus and prevents spread of COVID- 19
• Display posters promoting steps of hand washing
3) Promote good respiratory hygiene in work place
• Display posters promoting respiratory hygiene i.e. cough etiquette with other communication measures
• Ensure availability of tissue papers / masks along with closed bins for hygienic disposal
4) Advise employees for self isolation at home whenever they develop flu like symptoms because COVID – 19 spreads in community even with mild cough & low grade fever
5) Avoid hand-shaking, hugging and maintain a safe distance (1 meter)
6) Employees may be addressed to avoid crowded places like malls, markets, stations, melas etc. unless required
7) Maintain a safe distance from any person having the symptoms of cough, running nose, etc
8) Avoid sending employees to affected countries, unless highly required

Globally, the virus has killed more than 3,100 people and infected over 90,000 even as a clear shift in the crisis emerges, with nine times as many cases recorded outside China as inside, according to the World Health Organization.