Thermal screening must for visitors, house help, delivery staff before allowing entry: Govt to RWAs
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 18
The government on Saturday said the Resident Welfare Associations must ensure thermal screening of visitors, house help, car cleaners, delivery staff and others and allow only asymptomatic persons to enter gated complexes.
In a COVID-19 advisory for the RWAs, is gated colonies.
The Health Ministry also said the associations could set up COVID Care centres in their complexes to help disease management going forward besides ensuring that symptomatic persons were reported to health authorities. The COVID Care centres in the residential complexes would, however, need to be approved by the local health authorities with the ministry issuing detailed guidelines for the RWAs interested in setting up such centres.
In separate guidelines, the government said to the RWAs: “Provisions must be made for the display of posters, standees, audio-visual media on preventive measures about COVID-19, common signs and symptoms, need for early reporting and sanitisation of premises, prominently outside and inside of the gated complex. Provisions for hand hygiene (sanitiser dispenser) should be made available at entry points and in work areas.”
Guidelines add: “Thermal screening of visitors and staff is to be carried out at entry points and only asymptomatic individuals shall be allowed to enter the premises. Vendors, household helps, car cleaners, delivery personnel will also undergo such screening daily. Physical distancing of at least 6 feet to be followed as far as feasible at all locations at all times in all common areas, including parks, corridors, lift lobbies, gyms, clubs.”
Large gathering, parties, functions, prayer meetings are to be avoided.
Specific markings may be made with sufficient distance to manage the queue and ensure social distancing in the premises and seating arrangement, in common areas like parks should be made in such a way that adequate social distancing is maintained, guidelines say.
“The number of people in the elevators shall be restricted, duly maintaining social distancing norms. The government has said persons above 65 years of age, persons with comorbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years should be encouraged to stay at home only and keep contact with visitors and guests to a minimum,” said the guidelines.
“The RWAs will encourage all residents to inform them in case any resident reports symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 and ensure stigma is avoided,” the government added, calling the RWAs an important stakeholder in the fight against COVID.
