Punjab govt issues SOPs for shops, businesses

Punjab Secretary for Primary and Secondary Health retired Captain Muhammad Usman has issued the following standard operating procedures for shops and businesses to keep preventing spread of the novel Coronavirus:

1. Shops are supposed to provide hand washing or sanitization equipment to customers on site.
Advertisement
2. Employees are supposed to wash their hands frequently.
3. Cashiers are only to only handle cash while wearing plastic gloves.
4. Surfaces that are touched often should be cleaned repeatedly with 0.05 per cent chlorine solution.
5. Dustbins should be provided at shops for people to dispose of their used masks and tissues.
6. Customers should not be allowed to touch the weight measure e.t.c at the shop.
7. In case of wearable items, customers should not be allowed to try items on before purchase.
Advertisement
8. Customers should not be allowed to return or exchange purchased items.
9. Everyone should cover their mouth and nose with either a tissue or their elbow while sneezing.
10. A limited number of people can enter shops at a time, so that they can remain three feet apart.
11. There should be markings showing 3-foot distance outside shops and at the cash counter so that people know where to stand.
12. Shops should actively try to wind transactions up fast.
13. Customers should not be allowed to enter small shops.
Advertisement
14. Handshakes and hugging are prohibited.
15. Older citizens should avoid going to shops, be it in the form of shopkeepers or customers. If an elderly customer does come to a shop, they should be entertained on priority basis.
16. At medical stores, shopkeepers should keep surgical masks on at all times.
17. Shopkeepers should not touch the medical prescriptions brought in by customers.
18. Sales counters should be enclosed in plastic sheets.
19. Customers should avoid touching items on display, if an item is touched, it should be cleaned with a disinfectant.
Advertisement
20. At repair shops, shopkeepers should disinfect items they take in as well as return.

Earlier in a day, Gulzar Ahmed, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) stated that they are issuing orders to reopen shopping malls across the country ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.

The CJP on Monday issued the orders during the hearing of the suo motu notice regarding the coronavirus taken by the apex court.

CJP Gulzar Ahmed also ordered commissioner Karachi and additional advocate general Sindh not to seal any market even if they flout to obey the SOPs.

“Instead of scaring them make them understand,” remarked the CJP, after the commissioner told the court that some markets were sealed for violating SOPs.