District Administration issues advisory for schools, hotels regarding COVID-19
MOGA, March 05, 2020: In view of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), the District Administration on Thursday issued an advisory to various government and private schools besides hotels and shopping malls in the district. Civil Surgeon Moga Dr Andesh stated that although the situation was not so alarming in India, residents should stay alert and take precautions to keep themselves and others safe from COVID-19. She said that every individual should be careful and maintain the highest standards of hygiene like washing hands regularly, avoiding close contact with people.
She said that all the government and private schools of district Moga are advised to avoid any mass gathering of students during the course of the day in the school. She said that any student/staff with travel history to any COVID-19 affected country or in contact with such persons in the last 28 days, should be monitored and home quarantined for 14 days.
The class teachers should be alert to any child with signs and symptoms i.e. fever, cough and difficulty in breathing, and should immediately inform the parents to have the child tested, the schools should ask parents not to send child back to school till advised so by the treating doctor, teachers, school staff and students should also be advised about simple public health measures of hand and respiratory hygiene.
She said that similar advisory was issued to hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and guest houses in Moga that they should be careful and maintain highest standards of hygiene at their establishments.
She said that to ensure hand hygiene, one should wash hands frequently and thoroughly with soap & water or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser, even when hands are visibly clean. In view of the respiratory hygiene, everyone should cover their mouth with a tissue/handkerchief (or their sleeve if there are no tissues available) when they cough or sneeze and wash their hands afterwards, do not touch your eyes, nose and mouth, everyone should throw away used tissues in a bin and wash their hands after contact with coughing/sneezing.
She advised that frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, switches, desktops, hand railings etc should be disinfected. The school authorities should also provide alcohol-based hand cleaners/sanitisers in frequented spots of the school, one should ensure availability of soap and water in restrooms at all times, foot-operated pedal bins lined with plastic bag should be provided in each classroom and restroom, in hostels, health status of students, as well as the other ancillary staff, should be monitored on regular basis and in case there are suspected cases, the authorised local medical authority should be called for examination.
Civil Surgeon said that anybody with signs and symptoms (cough, fever or difficulty in breathing) or any clarification can call Epidemiologist Dr Naresh Kumar on his mobile number 98887-70910.