Odisha On COVID-19 Alert: Social Distancing The Buzzword To Keep The Bug Away

Bhubaneswar: To check a possible coronavirus outbreak, the Commissionerate Police on Monday called for social distancing measures.

Shopping malls, excluding  shops and commercial establishments selling groceries, vegetables, fruits, milk, medicines and other daily essential requirements, have already been closed till March 31 to prevent people from congregating in large numbers.

Besides, commercial establishments and government offices have been to strictly implement social distancing measures like:

(a) Limit the number of persons entering into their premises at any given time

(b) Ask customers and employees to maintain six-feet distance,

(c) Not hold any promotional events, workshops, entertainment programmes, non-essential meetings and conferences, etc.

(d) Owners, occupants, managers of such commercial establishments/offices must ensure strict hand hygiene and respiratory etiquettes of their employees and provide for hand-wash with soaps and water and/or alcohol-based sanitization liquids. They will also ensure sanitization of table surfaces, doorknobs, light switches, handles, phones, keyboards, toilets, etc.

(e) Not permit any employee with fever and dry-cough to work in their premises.

The order will into effect from Monday and any establishment office failing to comply with it shall be liable to fine/prosecution/closure as may be considered necessary under the law, a notification issued by the Commissionerate Police said.