AIIMS issues advisory for staff to follow COVID-appropriate behaviour

New Delhi: In order to prevent a fresh outbreak of COVID-19, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, has issued an advisory for its staff to follow COVID-19-appropriate behaviour.

AIIMS Delhi on Thursday asked its staff to follow appropriate social distancing protocol including in their seating arrangements, canteens and office gatherings and take preventive measures amid fresh concerns of COVID. 

In another directive, all department heads were asked to ensure the availability of at least 50 percent of the doctors on duty during winter vacation.

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In an office memorandum issued on Thursday, the administration advised all hospital staff to follow COVID-appropriate behavior citing reported increase in the global cases of COVID-19 in order to prevent a fresh outbreak of the disease.

Hospital staff has been asked to use reusable cloth face covers or surgical masks in the workplace, ensure proper cleaning and frequent sanitisation of the workplace and covering of nose and mouth with elbow or handkerchief tissue while sneezing and maintaining personal hygiene and physical distancing and coughing.

Strict disinfection protocols should be followed in the building or room according to guidelines.

"Seating arrangement in sections/rooms may be made to ensure the adequate distance between officials in the rooms and gathering especially in canteens must be avoided," the order read.

Gathering of five or more persons at any place in the office should be avoided and entry of visitors in the office complex should be discouraged to the maximum extent, it stated.

Only those visitors who have proper permission from the office, whom they want to meet, should be allowed after being properly screened.

All officials have been advised to take care of their own health and look out for symptoms such as fever, respiratory problems and, if feeling unwell, should leave the workplace immediately after informing their reporting officers. Such employees should observe home-quarantine with the advice of the doctor and should get tested for COVID.

All employees who are at higher risk i.e. older employees, pregnant employees and employees who have underlying medical conditions should take extra precautions, the order said.

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