IT sector braces to fight COVID-19

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  The IT sector, one of the largest employers in the state, is not leaving any stones unturned as the state steps up vigil to prevent COVID-19 outbreak. Given the concentration of staff and nature of work, the companies are aware that the impact would be huge if it lowers the guard. While the three IT parks, which house several software companies, and other large software firms have taken precautionary measures from the very start, the sudden turn of events following the outbreak at Pathanamthitta has sent the sector in a tizzy. Nevertheless, the companies are adapting to the situation with a fresh set of work norms and the employees, in turn, are using their skill set, thinking of ways to find solutions to the unusual situation.

Work from home
Besides restricting work-related travel and overseas client from visiting the campus, the majority of companies are also promoting work-from-home option among employees, especially for those who have visited Ranni, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam, recently. An MNC  has even blocked the access cards of employees from COVID-19-affected locations. They have also stocked disinfectants and instructed staff over e-mail on the precautions to be taken. A major startup company, with own campus in Thiruvananthapuram,  has set up a thermostat at the entrance. Only those with a temperature of less than 98.6 Fahrenheit are allowed inside and others are sent for further medical tests.

However, employees are still confused over the work-from-home arrangement. “We are not sure if we can connect to the office servers from home due to poor internet connection,” said an IT employee hailing from Pathanamthitta. 

Guidelines to  IT companies
 A standard operating protocol for IT parks and companies has been issued. It details on measures to be taken if an employee, who has returned from a virus-hit country or location, shows symptoms of COVID-19. IT companies have been advised to follow the guidelines issued by the health department on cleaning and disinfecting the premises. Management of the parks and companies have been asked not to issue any internal or external statements before thoroughly verifying and confirming facts. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by M Sivasankar at Technopark on Wednesday. 

Preventive measures 
Make sure your workplaces are clean and hygienic
Surfaces (desks and tables) and objects (telephones and  keyboards) need to be wiped with disinfectant regularly as contamination on surfaces touched by infected people is one of the main ways how  Coronavirus spreads.
Bio-Metric Access: 
It is advised to disable 
bio-metric access to prevent finger-to-finger spread and use proximity card feature in the system.
Promote regular and thorough hand-washing by employees Put sanitising hand rub dispensers in 
prominent places around the workplace. Make sure these dispensers are regularly refilled.
Combine this with other communication measures such as offering guidance from occupational health and safety officers, briefings at meetings and information on the intranet to promote hand-washing.
Screen visitors for COVID-19 symptoms and ask them to reschedule the meeting if they exhibit any of the symptoms Create a barrier between employees workspace and visitors.
Make sure that staff, contractors and customers have access to places where they can wash their hands with soap and water.

Software solution for the cause
The Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), with the help of startup companies, are launching a mobile application that helps airline passengers go through the screening procedure. It also enables health officials to track them. The app would help the public get information on the disease and health facilities nearby. Prathidhwani, a socio-cultural organization of IT employees in Technopark, is also planning to offer its expertise to the health department. “We can make an application which helps in faster generation of reports from various centres,” said Rajeev Krishnan of Prathidhwani. The organisation also plans to meet Technopark authorities to dem and setting up thermostats in all offices.