SOP/Guidelines for Health and Safety protocols for Reopening of Institute

SOP/Guidelines for Health and Safety protocols for Reopening of Institutes and Learning with Physical/Social Distancing
The Ministry of Home Affairs vide Order no. 40-3/2020-DM-I (A) dated 30th September, 2020, has issued guidelines for reopening of institutes, following lockdown measures put in place for containment of COVID-19 in the country under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. This SOP outlines various generic precautionary measures to be adopted, in addition to specific measures to be taken when institutes are permitting students, to prevent spread of COVID-19. The Institute will comply with the COVID-19 related guidelines issued by Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. The summary of the guidelines are as follows:

• Ensure thorough cleaning and disinfection of furniture, equipment, computers, printers, stationery items, storage places, water tanks, kitchen, canteen, washrooms, laboratories, libraries, etc. on campus with focusing on frequently touched surfaces/objects.
• Ensure availability of key items like thermometers, disinfectants, soaps, etc. The thermometer to be used should be a calibrated contact-less infrared digital thermometer.
• Water, sanitation and waste (Garbage) management facilities may be ensured along with compliance of environmental cleaning and decontamination procedures.
• Availability of soap and clean water at all hand washing facility may be ensured. This can be monitored by the identified or designated staff.
• Frequent cleaning and disinfecting of washrooms during the working hours. Mandatory hand washing for all students and staff at regular intervals as per the planned protocol following physical/social distancing norms may be ensured.
• Availability of safe and clean drinking water for students may be ensured. Bringing of water bottles by students may be encouraged.
• Ensure sanitization before college timings and after the students leave classroom and college premises.
• All students and staff to arrive at institute wearing a hand gloves, face cover/mask and continue wearing it all through, especially when in class, or doing any activity in groups, such as eating in the mess, working in the laboratories or reading in the libraries.
• To the extent possible institute may adopt contactless process for attendance, classroom participation, assessment and learning including online submissions etc. for both students and staff members.
• Every student needs to learn how to cough or sneeze into a tissue or elbow and avoid touching face, eyes, mouth, and nose.
• Staggering the timing of entry and exit for students of different classes.
• Earmarking different lanes for incoming and outgoing. Opening all the gates at the time of entry and exit, in case institute has more than one gate and earmarking batches for each gate to avoid crowding.
• As precautionary measure from COVID-19 students and staff are advised to install Aarogya Setu App in their Mobile Phones.

Seating plan

• As suggested by the Ministry of Health, there must be at least 6 feet distance between students in the revised seating plan. It is advisable to mark the seating that students should occupy.
• Physical/social distancing shall also be maintained in the staff rooms, office area, and other places of public interaction.
• Seats may be designated with adequate distance for teachers in the staff room and other available rooms/halls.
• The number of seats in the reception area may be limited with at least 6 feet distance between them.

Display Signages and markings for enforcing physical/social distancing and safety protocols

• Displaying posters/messages/stickers and signage at appropriate places in the institute reminding students about maintaining physical/social distancing such as inside the classroom, libraries, outside washrooms, hand washing stations, drinking water areas, college kitchen, halls, classrooms, buses/ cabs parking, entry and exits.
• Ban on spitting shall be strictly enforced.
• Marking circles on ground at different places like reception, water facility stations, hand washing stations, area outside washrooms, and other areas.
• Marking separate lanes with arrows for coming and going at all possible places in institute to avoid physical contact.

Staggering Timetables and other measures

• Asking only a certain percentage of the students to attend the institute depending on the enrolment, rotationally on alternate days, or every two days in a week and combining with home assignments could be another mechanism.
• Alternatively, there could be a weekly class-wise timetable for attendance. Odd-Even Formula for classes or any other technique can also be considered.
• In case size of classroom is small, classes may be held in rooms having larger area such as computer room, library, laboratory etc. with physical distance of 6 feet between the students.
• Institute will not organize events where physical/social distancing is not possible.

Guidelines to ensure safe residential stay at hostel
• Temporary partitions may be erected to separate inmates/boarders. Adequate distance between beds may be ensured.
• Physical/social distancing must be maintained all the times in hostels. Signage and messaging at prominent places will be important.
• Screening of every boarder needs to be done before they start staying at the hostel. Only asymptomatic boarders should be allowed to join.
• Arrangement for a regular visit of counselor teacher (warden) needs to be ensured to take care of any mental or emotional health issue of the students.
• Hostel should be out of bound for all persons except essential staff with known health status.
• Visiting medical team may inspect kitchen and mess at least once a week to ensure maintenance of hygiene.
• Capacity building of hostel staff should be done on physical/social distancing norms, health, and hygiene, clean and nutritious food, etc., for the hostellers.
• Availability of good quality Wi-Fi connection, cable connection for Television and Radio may be ensured. These facilities should be used as per norms of physical/social distancing.
• To avail mess/ dining area students must be divided into subgroups at different timings.

Parent’s/Guardian’s consent
• Institute should take the consent of parents/guardians before their child/ward begins attending institute.
• Students willing to study from home with the consent of the parents may be allowed to do so.
• Follow-up on the progress of the learning outcomes of all such students may be planned appropriately. Ensure availability of medical support
• Ensure availability of full-time trained health care attendant/nurse/doctor and counsellor in institute or at contactable distance to take care of physical and mental health of the students.
• Regular health check-up of students and teachers may be organized.

Guidelines for using transport facilities
• Sanitization of institute transportation on regular basis at least twice a day-once before students board the transport and once after.
• A minimum physical distance of 6 feet should be maintained during seating. Staggering of college timings/days/shifts may be essential for ensuring this.
• Thermal screening of students may be done at the time of boarding the bus.
• Institute transport should not permit students without face cover / masks to board buses.
• No curtains on windows in the bus/cab should be used.
• Students may be oriented not to touch surfaces unnecessarily. If possible, hand sanitizer may be kept in the bus/cab.
• Students may be advised to patiently wait for their turn to board or alight from the vehicle keeping a safe distance.
• As far as possible, parents may be encouraged to use their personal transport to drop their children to institute.
• Students commuting through public transport should be adequately guided by institute to take all precautions such as – physical/social distancing, covering nose and mouth with up face cloth/masks.
• Private cabs or carpooling may be discouraged as far as possible.

Protocol to be followed in case of detection of a suspected case of COVID-19
• Place the suspected / infected student or staff in a room or area where they are isolated from others.
• Provide a mask/face cover, hand sanitizer etc. till such time as he/she is examined by a doctor.
• Immediately inform the District Administration / Nearest Medical facility (hospital/clinic).
• A risk assessment will be undertaken by the designated public health authority (district Rapid Response Team/treating physician) and accordingly further action be initiated regarding management of case, his/her contacts and need for disinfection.
• Disinfection of the premises to be taken up if the person is found positive.
• For a suspect or a case detected in hostel, the student/staff shall not be sent back to his/her home as it may lead to spread of the disease. He/she should be isolated and State/district health officials shall be informed to suitable follow-up.

Note : All are directly advised to go through the SOP’s/Guidelines/ issued by the Govt. Authorities in this regard. For details please refer to the official website of college (www.glbitm.org)

Back