THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the wake of Covid-19 spread, the State Health Department has issued a detailed advisory to VIPs and their staff.
The VIPs should avoid public functions and public spaces. If they visit a public meeting/place, they should wear a triple layer mask and sanitise hands frequently.
Physical meetings should be avoided. Critical and confidential meetings can be conducted physically with only a limited number of people.
During meetings, the distance of at least 6 feet between people should be maintained. Meetings should be in open conference halls with less than 50% capacity. The conference halls should have cross ventilation. Air-conditioning is not preferred. The meeting places should be surface-disinfected before and after the meeting.
The VIPs must wear masks throughout and should avoid speaking loudly. Also, they should avoid the exchange of objects/articles without proper disinfection. Serving snacks and food during the meeting should be avoided.
The use of digital files should be promoted. Visitors should be restricted. They should be allowed inside chambers/room only in exceptional circumstances.
Visitors should be screened and hand-sanitised. They should also wear three-layer mask and maintain more than 2m from VIPs. Visitors from containment zones should not be allowed in direct meetings. Also, no objects should be exchanged between the VIPs and visitors.
Guidelines have also been issued for the security staff, personal staff, and drivers of VIPs. A three-tier system of security staff and personal staff should be identified and rotated every 14 days. It should be an exclusive group and should not socialise with anyone.
Those in the first-tier should have 14 days of duty. While off duty they should stay in individual rooms. They are not permitted to visit/stay home during these 14 days.
Those who completed 14 days of tier-I duty are termed as tier-2 category. They can visit home but should limit physical contact to close family members only. They should avoid mass gatherings and contact with those from containment zones. This will be for a period of 14 days.
Those who complete tier-2 are termed as a tier-3 category. They should undergo individual quarantine for seven days. On the 7th day, they should test for Covid-19 by rapid antigen test. If it's negative they can return to tier-1 for active duty.
The advisory also deals with the transportation. Only dedicated vehicles and drivers should be arranged. No co-passengers other than security staff should be permitted. The vehicles should be disinfected. The advisory further states that family members of VIPs should avoid community contact, contact with those from containment zones. Also, domestic help and support staff should be residential.