The State Council’s Guidelines on Resuming Work and Production While Controlling the Epidemic! Agricultural input enterprises shall comply and implement them.

Release Date:

2020-02-24

Guidance on COVID-19 Prevention and Control Measures for the Resumption of Work and Production in Enterprises and Public Institutions
To guide the effective implementation of all requirements for COVID‑19 prevention and control and to facilitate the steady and orderly resumption of work and production by enterprises and public institutions, this guideline has been formulated.
I. Strengthen Employee Health Monitoring
(1) Ensure effective employee health management. All units must maintain a clear understanding of employee movements and implement health management measures tailored to local requirements, categorizing employees by risk level. Personnel originating from areas with severe outbreaks must undergo home or centralized quarantine for medical observation. Employees under quarantine or residing in collective dormitories should have their body temperature checked twice daily. Promptly monitor the health status of absent employees.
(2) Implement a health‑status reporting system. All units shall establish a hotline for reporting suspected symptoms, and employees experiencing fever or respiratory symptoms must promptly and truthfully report such cases to their respective unit. Daily summaries of employee health status shall be compiled and submitted to the local disease control authorities; any abnormalities must be reported immediately, and appropriate preventive and control measures shall be implemented without delay.
II. Strengthen Prevention and Control Measures in the Workplace
(3) Strengthen registration and management of personnel entering and exiting. All units shall assign dedicated personnel to strictly manage all access points to the workplace and dormitories. Units that use fingerprint time‑keeping systems should temporarily suspend their use and adopt alternative methods for recording entry and exit. Employees must have their temperature checked at the entrance each time they enter the premises or factory area; only those with normal temperatures may proceed. Access by non‑employees should be minimized. If entry is necessary for work purposes, employees must undergo temperature screening and provide information on their place of origin, current employer, and any contact with individuals from areas where outbreaks have occurred. Entry will be permitted only if these requirements are met.
(4) Ensure adequate ventilation in the workplace. Where conditions permit, prioritize natural ventilation; if indoor temperatures drop due to ventilation, remind employees to dress warmly as needed. If air conditioning is used, ensure that the supply air is safe and sufficient, with all exhaust air discharged directly outdoors, and close the return-air ducts when the system is not in use.
(5) Ensure the proper functioning of handwashing facilities and other amenities. Workplaces shall be equipped with handwashing stations, and handwashing and showering facilities must remain in operational condition. If no handwashing facilities are available, alcohol-based hand sanitizers should be provided.
(6) Ensure thorough cleaning and disinfection of work and living spaces. Public areas and related items—including workplaces, cafeterias, elevators, restrooms, washbasins, and commuter vehicles—should be regularly disinfected by designated personnel. Frequently touched surfaces such as elevator buttons and door handles should be disinfected more frequently as appropriate.
(7) Reduce employee gatherings and group activities. Guide employees to line up in an orderly manner and maintain appropriate social distancing when using passageways, elevators, staircases, and smoking areas; refrain from conversing with others while smoking. Minimize the holding of in-person meetings; for those that must proceed, shorten meeting durations, limit attendance, ensure adequate ventilation in meeting rooms, and encourage video or teleconferencing. In principle, collective dormitories should accommodate no more than six occupants per room, with at least 2.5 square meters per person. Depending on actual circumstances, staggered work hours, flexible working arrangements, or remote work may be adopted.
(8) Strengthen management of employees’ collective meals. Appropriately extend dining hall operating hours, implement staggered meal times, and, where feasible, use meal boxes and encourage dispersed dining. Enhance the cleaning and disinfection of reusable tableware; if disinfection facilities are unavailable, switch to single-use tableware. During meals, employees should avoid sitting face-to-face and refrain from conversing with others.
(9) Ensure quality medical services. Units that have established on-site infirmaries shall allocate necessary medications and protective supplies, and cooperate with disease control authorities to implement standardized isolation, observation, and contact-tracing measures. Units without on-site infirmaries should establish close communication with nearby medical institutions to ensure employees receive timely treatment or medical care. Pay attention to and support employees’ mental health, and promptly help them alleviate psychological stress.
(10) Standardize waste collection and disposal. Place dedicated mask‑collection bins in public areas, enhance the cleaning of trash containers, and conduct regular disinfection. Strengthen waste‑sorting management, ensuring timely collection and removal.
III. Guiding Employees on Personal Protective Measures
(11) Strengthen prevention and control publicity and education. Employ a variety of approaches to intensify public outreach on COVID‑19 prevention and control measures following the resumption of work and production, ensuring that employees are fully informed about preventive practices, master key protective measures, enhance their awareness of safety, and actively support and cooperate with prevention and control efforts.
(12) Implement personal protective measures. Employees should minimize unnecessary outings and avoid crowded places, especially those with poor ventilation. In densely populated settings, they must correctly wear masks and other protective equipment in accordance with the “Technical Guidelines on Mask Selection and Use for Preventing Novel Coronavirus Infection among Different Populations.” Develop the habit of frequent handwashing, and cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, handkerchief, or sleeve when sneezing or coughing. Promote a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet, moderate exercise, and regular sleep patterns.
IV. Properly Handle Abnormal Situations
(13) Clarify the unit’s epidemic prevention and control responsibilities. The principal person in charge of each unit shall be the primary responsible person for epidemic prevention and control, and shall establish an internal organizational system for epidemic prevention and control, specify emergency response measures and handling procedures, and ensure that prevention and control responsibilities are assigned to departments and individuals.
(14) Establish an isolation and observation area. When an employee develops suspicious symptoms, promptly escort them to this area for temporary isolation and report the situation to the local disease control authorities. Arrange for the employee to seek medical care at the nearest appropriate facility in accordance with relevant guidelines.
(15) Seal off and disinfect the relevant areas. Upon identifying an employee with suspected symptoms, immediately isolate their workstation and dormitory, and, based on medical observation, further seal off their office, workshop, or other workspaces, as well as residential facilities such as employee dormitories, strictly prohibiting unauthorized access. At the same time, under the guidance of qualified professionals, disinfect all areas where the individual has been and any items they have used. Cooperate fully with the relevant authorities in implementing preventive measures for close contacts.
(16) Ensure effective response and management following the identification of cases. Units that have identified cases shall implement a prevention and control strategy focused on containing internal transmission and preventing external export, while strengthening epidemiological investigations, close-contact tracing and management, and disinfection of affected premises. For units where the epidemic has spread, a strategy of preventing internal escalation and external export shall be adopted; depending on the severity of the outbreak, workplaces should be temporarily closed and production resumed only after the epidemic is brought under control.