Pb issues advisory for people involved in the frequent interstate/intrastate movement

Chandigarh : The Punjab Government has issued advisory for people involved in the frequent interstate/intrastate movement in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. Giving Details, a spokesperson said that Corona virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a systemic disease caused by a novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), transmitted in most instances through respiratory droplets, direct contact with cases and also through contaminated surfaces/objects.

Though the virus survives on environmental surfaces for a varied period of time, it gets easily inactivated by chemical disinfectants. Thus, correct and timely information and knowledge about the corona virus is the key to control the pandemic.      The Government of Punjab has imposed severe restrictions on free movement of people and vehicles in the larger public interest of controlling the spread/transmission of Corona virus through the imposition of Curfew in its all 22 districts.

The Government has, however, allowed essential activities and movement of people working in essential government offices so as to ensure the smooth functioning of the state-related activities.

      As per the advisory:

1.  All the persons are requested to avoid travel, if possible. In cases where the travelling is essential, one should not move around unnecessarily and should avoid moving in groups/large numbers.

2. The travelling persons shall ensure, before travel, that either they fall in the exempted category as per the extant instructions issued by the Department of Home Affairs & Justice, Government of Punjab or have the due requisite permission to travel.    However, even in the case of exempted categories, the requisite documents stipulated by the Government shall always be readily available with the traveler.

3. Travel should be avoided in cases where the traveler has fever/cold/cough/difficulty in breathing. Such a person should contact the nearest medical facility immediately.

4. The travelling persons should always keep in mind the norms of social distancing as laid down by the government, i.e., maintain a physical distance of at least 1 meter from everyone else.

5. The four-wheeler vehicle is allowed to carry only two persons along with the driver so as to ensure the adequate social distancing.

6. The passenger/driver should wear cloth mask at all times immediately from leaving the house till the entry back into the house. The mask shall be worn throughout the journey.

7. The masks shall be worn in a manner that it snuggly covers the nose as well as the mouth.

8. The cloth mask should be washed with soap and water daily after use.

9. The driver and the passengers are advised not to indulge in any handshakes or hug to greet/see-off each other.

10.Wash the hands with soap for at least 40 seconds by applying the soap gently on the palm and back of the hand including web spaces between the fingers and space between the finger and the thumb and the wrist wherever and whenever the  opportunity to wash the hands is available. However, a two-hourly hand wash is recommended.

11. The hands should preferably be washed in the manner prescribed above by the drivers/passengers before they board the vehicle for their journey.

12.  Alcohol-based sanitizer (minimum 70% ethyl alcohol) can be carried by the passengers/drivers in the vehicles to sanitize the hands. The sanitizers are to be refilled/replaced frequently. Use a minimum of 3 ml of the sanitizer (approximately 2   pushes of sanitizer dispenser) on DRY HANDS for at least 30 seconds for good hygienic hand disinfection.

13.Sanitize the hands even if they appear to be apparently clean.

14.The driver and passengers should either sanitize or wash their hands whatever is   feasible and available frequently.

15. The driver and passengers should mandatorily hand wash/sanitize in the manner   prescribed before touching the refreshments during tea-break/lunch-break etc.

16. The air-conditioners can be used in the vehicles along with one open window so as to ensure adequate ventilation.

17. Do not smoke or chew tobacco based products such as gutka, pan masala etc. during the travel/halt.

18. In case of a cough/sneeze, follow the respiratory etiquettes. Use handkerchief to cover the face which shall then be kept in his/her own pocket/purse in a manner that the surface of the handkerchief exposed to the cough/sneeze shall not touch the other parts of the belongings directly.

19. In case someone is not carrying the handkerchief he/she should cough/sneeze into the flexed/bent elbow.

20. In either case, immediately hand-wash with soap in the manner prescribed the hands/other exposed surfaces to cough/sneeze.

21. Do not touch your face, mouth, nose and eyes with hands at all times.

22. Do not spit except when absolutely essential and only in the washbasin of the toilet  which shall then be rinsed and washed away.

23. The drivers and the passengers should comply with the thermal scanning available to all the inter-city borders. The normal human body temperature is 97.7 to 99.5-degree Fahrenheit or 36.5 to 37.5-degree centigrade.

24. All the persons should declare their travel history at the inter-state/city checkpoints regarding whether they have visited any containment zone in the last 14 days.

25.  Only asymptomatic persons should be allowed to move further after the thermal  screening and they should not be kept in any quarantine facility.

26.  All the persons are advised not to meet/interact with people who are symptomatic or  are under home/facility quarantine.

27. Do not indulge in gossip/rumors with regard to COVID-19 without verifying the facts.  All the persons should mandatorily download COVA app (along with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi activation) for correct, authentic information as also for regular monitoring of  their health status.

28. In case a co-worker is diagnosed as COVID-19 with whom one had a contact during  the journey/waiting time etc, there shall not be panic. One should report to the Helpline No. 104/State Control Room No. 01722920074/08872090029, detailing the         exact nature of exposure so as to assist the medical facility to undertake further    necessary actions.

29. The employer in case a worker/employee is diagnosed as corona positive and such a worker/employee has attended the shift shall immediately inform the Helpline No. 104 / State Control Room No. 01722920074 / 08872090029 along with all the facts  about the worker and the contacts he might have during the shift. The employer shall      therefore maintain a complete and proper record of all workers on any particular day