The Deputy Prime Minister Issues a Guidance Document

The Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia, Tigran Avinyan, has published a guidance document amid the state of emergency. The guidance addresses the preservation of sanitary-epidemiological rules in organizations, potential risks in case of violations, and the organization of work.

The right to have healthy and safe working conditions is a constitutional right of every employee, a responsibility that lies with the employer.

To prevent the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) and to ensure safe and health-friendly conditions for employees, the following measures must be taken:

1. Provide conditions for regular and thorough hand washing (sinks), and ensure availability of water, soap, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, three-layer masks, and gloves in the workplace.
2. Ensure that employees who have direct contact with customers wear masks.
3. Provide at least one faucet for every 10 employees.
4. Ensure closed bins for disposing of used masks.
5. Measure each employee's temperature at least twice daily (with remote or individually-used thermometers), one of which should be at the time of the employee's arrival at work, with appropriate records kept.
6. Establish rules and procedures for disinfecting areas at least twice daily, including frequently touched surfaces such as door handles, tables, equipment surfaces, light switches, phones, and keyboards.
7. Use chlorine-based disinfectants or alcohol-containing disinfectants with a content of 60-80% in accordance with the methodological guide provided.
8. Ensure a minimum distance of 2 meters between workplaces (according to World Health Organization guidelines).
9. Provide wardrobes for outdoor clothing (sanitary clothing) to maintain personal (outdoor and home) and work attire.
10. Limit incoming and outgoing business trips as much as possible.
11. Consider the absence from work of employees showing symptoms characteristic of acute respiratory infections (mild cough, elevated temperature) as respectful, and prevent their entry into the workplace. If symptoms appear during work, immediately inform the Ministry of Health of Armenia and ensure employee isolation.
12. If information is received regarding an infected employee at the workplace, immediately isolate the individuals who have been in contact with the infected person and notify the Ministry of Health of Armenia.
13. In case of a suspected infected employee at the workplace, call the Ministry of Health’s hotline and immediately disinfect the area where the employee worked and any other areas and surfaces that may have been accessible to that employee.
14. If necessary, provide remote work opportunities for isolated individuals.

This document further outlines flexible working conditions aimed at reducing the number of people present at work simultaneously, especially for single mothers, individuals aged 60 and above, and those with chronic diseases.

Henceforth, employees are advised to avoid close contact with others, use handkerchiefs or their elbow when sneezing or coughing (not hands), and wash their hands with soap and water frequently.

In case of contact with customers, wearing masks and gloves is recommended, and maintaining a distance of at least 2 meters from anyone exhibiting symptoms of respiratory infection is essential.

The document concludes by providing essential information on the new coronavirus, symptoms, contagion, and guidelines for high-risk groups.