Offices with positive cases may not be sealed entirely

Noida: Offices and commercial establishments where an employee has tested positive will need a “premise fitness certificate” before they resume operations. For large industrial units and offices that operate out of multiple floors, only a portion of the building can be sealed. But standalone commercial outlets or shops will have to shut down completely for a few days in such a case.
Late on Saturday night, Noida district magistrate Suhas LY issued guidelines for operations to resume in offices where employees have tested positive. The order is applicable to offices that have reported Covid cases after May 20.
The move comes against the backdrop of several cases being reported from the office of a media house in Noida. “The fitness certificate would be issued by the health department after consultations with local administrative officials. Joint inspections would be carried out to assess the situation. The idea is to prevent other people from contacting the infection at workplace,” said Rajiv Rai, the sub-divisional magistrate of Dadri area.
Soon after an office has reported a positive case, a rapid response team will inspect the premises, screen employees who worked closely with the Covid patient and send them to quarantine if they exhibit symptoms.
Depending on the possible movement of the person who has tested positive, the team will take a call on whether to seal a portion of the building or the entire office. Sanitisation will be conducted thoroughly and the team will continue to visit the office for a few days before the certificate is issued.
The health team will also share a list of dos and don’ts with the authorities of the office concerned. “The entire procedure and protocol to be followed would be shared with the management and a certificate would be issued on the basis of compliance,” said a health department official.