The Health and Family Welfare Department has issued revised guidelines for apartment complexes, educational institutions and offices, following steady raise in Covid cases in the city.
Accordingly, in case of apartment complexes, the swimming pools, club houses and other common recreational areas are to be closed till the last Covid patient recovers, after which they are to be sanitised and used. However, towers or floors need not be sealed down.
That apart, house maids may be allowed to enter the complexes, provided they are below the age of 60 and healthy without any symptoms of Covid. They shall wear an N 95 mask while at work.
The guideline also states that apartment complexes with three to five cases in a floor are considered small clusters and symptomatic individuals on the particular floor are to be tested. If more than five cases are detected then all symptomatic individuals in the particular block or tower should be tested. All symptomatic individuals in a apartment complex are to be tested if more than 15 cases are reported.
In cases of offices, educational institutions, and schools, the department has mandated use of masks by all the individuals. Anyone with symptoms should go in for RAT testing and if positive, they should isolated themselves and follow all protocols.
If RAT is negative, then they should give sample for RT-PCR, isolate and await results of the test and act accordingly. If someone tests positive, primary contacts who are symptomatic shall be tested by RAT and if positive shall be isolated and managed as per protocol.
In case of cluster outbreaks, all the symptomatic individuals should be tested for the virus. The revised guidelines are based on the recent recommendations by the Technical Advisory Committee.