The central government on Thursday released guidelines for offices, malls, restaurants, and religious places to manage the spread of coronavirus in shopping malls, religious shrines and places of worship, hotels and hospitality units, restaurants and eateries, and office places set to reopen during Unlock 1.0 from June 8.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on June 4 released a list of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for religious places, restaurants, hotels, offices and shopping malls.

All of the above will remain closed in containment areas and only those outside containment zones will be allowed to open up.

SOPs for religious places:

– Shoes/footwear to be preferably taken off inside your own vehicle.
– Touching of statues/idols/holy books etc not to be allowed.
– Common prayer mats should be avoided and devotees should bring their own prayer mat or piece of cloth which they may take back with them.
– No physical offerings like prasad/distribution or a sprinkling of holy water, etc to be allowed inside the religious place.

– Community kitchens/langars/ann-daan, etc at religious places should follow physical distancing norms while preparing and distributing food.

RESTAURANTS

  • Takeaways to be encouraged, instead of dine-in. Food delivery personnel should leave the package at the door. Do not hand over the package to the customer directly.
  • The staff for home delivery should be screened thermally by the restaurant before going on deliveries.
  • Entrances of restaurants should be equipped with hand hygiene and thermal screening provisions.
  • Additional patrons to be seated in a designated waiting area with strict norms of social distancing.
  • Specific markings with sufficient distancing to manage the queue and ensure social distancing.
  • Not more than 50% of the seating capacity shall be permitted.
  • Disposable menus are advised to be used.
  • All restaurants should use disposable paper napkins, instead of cloth napkins.
  • Buffet service should also follow social distancing norms.

HOTELS

  • Details of the guest (travel history, medical condition, etc.) along with ID and self-declaration form must be provided by the guest at the reception.
  • Rooms and other service areas shall be sanitized each time a guest leaves.
  • In the kitchen, the staff should follow social distancing norms in the workplace. Kitchens area must be sanitized at regular intervals.
  • Deep cleaning of all washrooms shall be ensured at regular intervals.
  • Proper disposal of face covers/masks/gloves leftover by guests and/or staff should be ensured.
  • Proper disposal of face covers/masks/gloves leftover by guests and/or staff should be ensured
OFFICES/WORKPLACE
  • Entrances to have mandatory hand hygiene and thermal screening provisions.
  • Only asymptomatic staff/visitors will be allowed inside.
  • People residing in the containment zone should work from home and it will not be counted as a leave period till the denotification of the containment zone.
  • There should be a provision for disinfecting the interior of the vehicle using 1% sodium hypochlorite solution/spray.
  • Routine issues of visitors/temporary passes should be suspended and visitors with a proper permission of the officer who they want to meet should be allowed after being properly screened.
  • Meetings, as far as possible, should be done through video conferencing.
  • Staggering of office hours, lunch hours/coffee breaks to be done, as far as possible
  • The seating arrangement should be made in such a way that adequate social distancing is maintained.

SHOPPING MALLS

  • Entrance to have mandatory hand hygiene (sanitizer dispenser) and thermal screening provisions.
  • Only asymptomatic customers/visitors shall be allowed.
  • All workers/customers/visitors to be allowed entry only if using face cover/masks.
  • The face cover/masks has to be worn at all times inside the shopping mall.
  • Posters/standees/AV media on preventive measures about COVID-19 to be displayed prominently.
  • Staggering of visitors to be done, if possible.
  • Adequate manpower shall be deployed by Mall Management for ensuring social distancing norms.
  • All employees who are at higher risk i.e. older employees, pregnant employees and employees who have underlying medical conditions, to take extra precautions. They should preferably not be exposed to any front-line work requiring direct contact with the public. Shopping Mall management to facilitate work from home wherever feasible.
  • Proper crowd management in the parking lots and outside the premises – duly following social distancing norms shall be ensured.
  • Valet parking, if available, shall be operational with operating staff wearing face covers/ masks and gloves as appropriate. A proper disinfection of steering, door handles, keys, etc. of the vehicles should be taken up.
  • Any shops, stalls, cafeteria etc., outside and within the premises shall follow social distancing norms at all times.
  • Specific markings may be made with sufficient distance to manage the queue and ensure social distancing in the premises.
  • Preferably separate entry and exits for visitors, workers and goods/supplies shall be organized.
  • The staff for home deliveries shall be screened thermally by the shopping mall authorities prior to allowing home deliveries.
  • Required precautions while handling supplies, inventories and goods in the shopping mall shall be ensured. Proper queue management and disinfection shall be organized.
  • Maintaining physical distancing of a minimum of 6 feet, when queuing up for entry and inside the shopping mall as far as feasible.
  • Number of customers inside the shop to be kept at a minimum, so as to maintain the physical distancing norms.
  • Seating arrangement, if any, to be made in such a way that adequate social distancing is maintained.
  • Number of people in the elevators shall be restricted, duly maintaining social distancing norms.
  • Use of escalators with one person on alternate steps may be encouraged.
  • For air-conditioning/ventilation, the guidelines of CPWD shall be followed which inter alia emphasises that the temperature setting of all air conditioning devices should be in the range of 24-30oC, relative humidity should be in the range of 40-70%, intake of fresh air should be as much as possible and cross ventilation should be adequate.
  • Large gatherings/congregations continue to remain prohibited.
  • Effective and frequent sanitation within the premises shall be maintained with particular focus on lavatories, drinking and handwashing stations/areas.
  • Cleaning and regular disinfection (using 1% sodium hypochlorite) of frequently touched surfaces (doorknobs, elevator buttons, handrails, benches, washroom fixtures, etc.) to be made mandatory in all malls in common areas as well as inside shops, elevators, escalators, etc.
  • Proper disposal of face covers/masks/gloves leftover by visitors and/or employees should be ensured.
  • Deep cleaning of all washrooms shall be ensured at regular intervals.
  • In the food-courts:
  • a. Adequate crowd and queue management to be ensured to ensure social distancing norms.
  • b. In food courts and restaurants, not more than 50% of the seating capacity to be permitted.
  • c. Food court staff/waiters should wear masks and hand gloves and take other required precautionary measures.
  • d. The seating arrangement should ensure adequate social distancing between patrons as far as feasible.
  • e. Contactless mode of ordering and digital mode of payment (using e-wallets) to be encouraged.
  • f. Tables to be sanitized each time the customer leaves.
  • g. In the kitchen, the staff should follow social distancing norms at the workplace.
  • Gaming Arcades shall remain closed.
  • Children Play Areas shall remain closed.
  • Cinema halls inside shopping malls shall remain closed.
  • In case of a suspect or confirmed case in the premises:
    a. Place the ill person in a room or area where they are isolated from others.
    b. Provide a mask/face cover till such time he/she is examined by a doctor.
    c. Immediately inform the nearest medical facility (hospital/clinic) or call the state or district helpline.
    d. A risk assessment will be undertaken by the designated public health authority (district RRT/treating physician) and accordingly further action be initiated regarding management of case, his/her contacts and need for disinfection.
    e. Disinfection of the premises to be taken up if the person is found positive.