The federal government has directed Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to create isolation centres in offices as part of additional steps to curtail the spread of COVID-19.
According to the guidelines released by the Office of Head of Service of the Federation (HoS), the isolation centres in offices are meant for those who fall sick during working hours.
The regulations were contained in a document titled: ‘Guidelines on the control of COVID-19 service wide’, prepared by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.
The office said the guidelines were compiled out of the need to reduce the impact of the pandemic on government businesses and the public by controlling the spread of the disease in all the MDAs.
It added that the guidelines were developed to complement the efforts of the Federal Government through the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
The document recommended that MDAs should “designate holding area(s) with closable doors, which will serve as isolation room(s) until potentially sick people can be safely moved from the workplace to the health facility.”
It also asked the MDAs to “discourage workers from sharing work tools, equipment and items like computers, phones etc.”
It further recommended frequent cleaning and disinfection of work surfaces, asking that close attention should be paid to high-contact objects like door handles, hand rails, elevator buttons, keyboards, tools, toilets and sinks, among others.
According to the document, those feeling sick or have sick family members (respiratory-related) should not come to work.
