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Companies, factories must appoint Health Committees to monitor employees
To continue their operations, private companies and factories will be required to set up their own “Health Committees” in the next two weeks to monitor the implementation of Covid-19 health guidelines, Labour Commissioner General Prabath Chandrakeerthi told the Sunday Times.
If they failed to do so, legal action would be taken against them in terms of quarantine laws. The measures had already been discussed with the the COVID-19 Task Force, the Employers Federation and trade unions and would have to be put into effect before December 15, he said.
The Health Ministry, Public Health Inspectors, intelligence services and labour officials would be asked to ensure that the “Health Committees’ were implementing the guidelines.
The “Health Committees” would be required to ensure that employees maintain physical distancing, wear facemasks, follow other health practices, make sure that sanitation facilities were provided. They would also be required to monitor employees and arrange PCR or Antigen tests for those who show symptoms, the Labour Chief explained.
The Committees would also be required to send weekly reports.
Health Services Director General Dr Asela Gunawardena told the Sunday Times that the measure was part of a programme to continue with private sector operations, instead of going into a total closure of the factories and companies.
Meanwhile in Colombo where the number of COVID-19 cases has been on the rise, the Municipal Council will step up its monitoring of suspected COVID patients.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ruwan Wijeyamuni told the Sunday Times continuous PCR and rapid antigen tests would be increased in construction sites, government flats, garment factories, among CMC solid waste workers, public markets, Narahenpita Economic Centre, railways and essential government service institutions to control a city-wide spread as lockdown status in high risk areas were gradually lifted.
By yesterday, the city recorded 14 deaths with 1,848 new positive cases this week from the Peliyagoda fish market cluster with the majority of cases from Colombo.
The CMC’s health unit has requested the Health Ministry Secretary to release more healthcare personnel, including doctors, to assist in COVID related duties.
Following requests from the Ministry, Colombo has received 15 trainee PHIs (Public Health Inspectors) and three retired PHIs for quarantine-related duties. The city has about 51 PHIs already on duty.
“We were detecting 180-220 positive cases a day especially from North Colombo and PCR tests conducted on the first line of contacts being positive was about 45 percent. However, it has gradually dropped to about 10 percent,” Dr. Wijeyamuni said.
About 190 construction workers, a majority of them Indians, were tested positive in two leading construction sites in Kompannaveediya and Galle Face resulting in about 1500 workers being placed under quarantine in their hostels.
Modera, Mattakkuliya, Grandpass, Bloemendhal, Foreshore, Maradana, Pettah, Dam Street, Wolfendhal Street, Maligawatte, Keselwatte and Dematagoda remained isolated this week.