Lockdown 5.0: Return of 100-Person Workforce to Office as Centre Lifts 50% Restrictions at Workplaces

Under fresh guidelines by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the national lockdown imposed on March 25 will be eased in phases and workplaces will have additional measures to ensure curbing of Covid-19.

The home ministry, in its guidelines issued for Lockdown 5.0, said that all activities that were prohibited in the previous lockdown will be permitted in areas outside containment zones in a phased manner, with a caveat that the standard operating procedures (SOPs) prescribed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare are followed.

“As far as possible, the practice of workplaces should be followed,” said the MHA directive.

The guidelines also instructed that provision of thermal scanning at all entry and exit points in offices. Hand wash and sanitiser should also be made available in these places along with common areas that come into frequent human contact.

The MHA order also mentioned “Additional directives for workplaces” that included social distancing norms and staggering work hours to be followed at workplaces.

Previously, a day after the Centre issued guidelines for Lockdown 4.0 that relaxed restrictions on employees coming to office, the Ministry of Home Affairs had released fresh rules on measures to be taken by the employers to contain the spread of Covid-19 at the workplace.

According to a circular released by the MHA, four types of measures have been mentioned to check the spread of the virus.

The basic preventive measures included social distancing, compulsory face masks, hands to be washed frequently using soap and water and alcohol-based hand sanitisers, individuals covering their nose with flexed elbow while sneezing and all individuals monitoring their health everyday.

Preventive measures for offices included persons with flu-like symptoms to not be asked to attend office and seek medical attention.

The measures to be taken on occurrence of Covid-19 cases said that if persons working in the office are suffering from flu-like symptoms, they should be isolated in the office and be provided with a face mask until they are attended by a doctor. The employers have been asked to report to the helpline 1075 and the state or central health authorities concerned immediately during such cases. Following this, a public health authority will carry out a risk assessment to decide what the next course of action would be – disinfection or contact tracing – and a patient reporting mild symptoms will be placed under home quarantine.