COVID Threat: Odisha Govt Issues Fresh Guidelines

Bhubaneswar: In the wake of a fresh spike in the number of COVID-19 infection in some States, Odisha Government today issued fresh guidelines.

Here’re the guidelines by the SRC for strict implementation of COVID-19 safety protocols in the State:

1. District and Police Authorities shall check and ensure strict observance of COVID-l9 safety protocols such as mandatory wearing of mask, maintaining physical distancing in all public places including work places and educational institutions.
2. Public awareness through loudspeaker announcements is to be made frequently in all market places, haat and other places.
3. Concerned authorities of Government and private offices/ institutions including educational institutions shall be responsible for due compliance of the COVID19 safety protocols in their respective establishments.
4. Large congregations must be avoided and wherever permission has been granted for marriages, other social/ religious functions, sports, entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ any other gathering/ congregations, compliance of the COVID-19 safety protocols and crowd size in such gatherings shall be strictly monitored. Under no circumstances, persons more than the number permitted shall be entertained in all such gatherings.
5. Adequate and strict sanitation measures are to be maintained in schools, colleges, other educational institutions and Anganwadi Centres. The teachers and concerned authorities shall ensure observance of “COVID-19 safety protocols such as mandatory wearing of mask, maintaining physical distancing and provision of thermal scanning & hand wash or use of sanitizer by the students, teachers, staff and others.
6. Any person found with COVID-19 symptoms must be immediately reported to the nearest health institution and necessary further action be taken as per advice of the health authorities.
7. Nothing other than the curricular activities shall be allowed in educational institutions.
8. Hotels, restaurants, dhabas and other places of public eating must be closely monitored by the police authorities so as to ensure strict compliance of physical distancing norms and other safety protocols.
9. Senior officers of the district administration will visit different places/institutions to ascertain and ensure COVID-19 safety protocol compliance. Persons violating the COVID-19 Guidelines/ Protocols may be penalised under the relevant provisions of law.
10. Strong penal action shall be taken against the persons violating the COVID-19 Guidelines/ safety protocols. Shops and other commercial establishments found violating such norms may be sealed and action as per law be taken against such violators.