Telangana prepares detailed Standard Operating Procedure to help IT companies deal with COVID-19

HYDERABAD: In a first, a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has now been laid down for IT companies and IT parks on how to manage any situation arising with regards to the Coronavirus outbreak.

The SOP designed by Cyberabad police, Hyderabad Software Enterprises Association (HYSEA), National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), Society for Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC) and Health department was released on Wednesday and has given a protocol to be followed in different scenarios for both confirmed and suspected cases.

The SOP has defined the protocol in three scenarios, when a person returns from abroad, when a person with no travel history shows symptoms, and when someone from the same building/office tests positive.

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As per the SOP, irrespective of whether the employee shows symptoms or not, if they are coming from risk zone countries, they must be sent for testing to the designated hospital and must be asked to Work From Home (WFH) for 14 days.

In this phase, the HR has to call the employee daily and get a health update and enquire about symptoms. In case no symptoms are reported, they can rejoin office and in case symptoms are reported, the employee will have to be sent to hospital and samples given. Once the employee is in this stage of diagnosis, they can only rejoin work after a doctor’s certificate is given. If the diagnosis from this stage is negative, they still have to work from home for 14 days, until the doctor gives a thumbs up.

In the eventuality that an employee is found positive for COVID-19, the company must see if any other employee is also showing symptoms and immediately contact a representative from SCSC. The emergency response team of the office must wear masks and gloves and escort the employee to the nearest listed hospital in an ambulance. The office premises will then be sanitized by GHMC and Health department and it can be only be used after 24 hours.

Furthermore, incase a positive case comes in, then the IT park or the building where the case is from, the administration must sanitize the common touchpoints and surfaces in the building. They must also communicate to the other offices in the building on precautions to be taken and isolate the areas where visitors come.

The team said that while CP Cyberabad VC Sajjanar is the nodal officer, the IT companies and employees can reach out on 104 for further queries.

Helpline Numbers

GHMC control room: 9849902348, 8008456677
SCSC: 9000257058