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Newsroom, June 5: The union health ministry has announced new rules for shopping malls which have been permitted to open from June 8, except those falling in containment zones.

The guidelines will come into effect from Monday and cinema halls, gaming arcades and children play areas in these establishments will remain closed.

Here is the complete list of standard operating procedures issued by the ministry to be followed in shopping malls to contain the spread of COVID-19.

•   Thermal screening of all visitors mandatory at entry point, along with compulsory hand hygiene. Only asymptomatic visitors will be allowed to enter the shopping mall .

•  It will be mandatory for all visitors as well as workers to wear face masks at all times inside the mall. 

•  Posters and audio-visual media on preventive measures about COVID-19 should be displayed prominently.

•  Visitor entry to shopping malls should be allowed in a staggered manner and adequate manpower be deployed by mall management for ensuring social distancing norms.

•  All employees who are at higher risk like elderly, pregnant women and those having underlying medical conditions should take extra precautions. They should preferably not be exposed to any front-line work requiring direct contact with the public.

•   Proper crowd management in the parking lots and outside the premises – duly following social distancing norms shall be ensured. Preferably, separate entry and exits for visitors, workers and goods/supplies shall be organised.

•   The staff for home deliveries should be screened thermally by the shopping mall authorities prior to allowing home deliveries and required precautions while handling supplies, inventories and goods in the shopping mall must be ensured.

•   Physical distancing of a minimum of 6 feet, when queuing up for entry and inside the shopping mall should be maintained as far as feasible while the number of customers inside the shop should be kept at a minimum, so as to maintain the physical distancing norms.

•   The number of people in the elevators should be restricted and use of escalators with one person on alternate steps should be encouraged.

•   Number of people in the elevators shall be restricted, duly maintaining social distancing norms. Use of escalators with one person on alternate steps may be encouraged.

•   Effective and frequent sanitation within the premises shall be maintained with particular focus on lavatories, drinking and hand washing stations/areas

•   Cleaning and regular disinfection of frequently touched surfaces  to be made mandatory in all malls in common areas as well as inside shops, elevators, escalators etc.

•   In the food-courts, adequate crowd and queue management is to be ensured and not more than 50 per cent of seating capacity should be permitted.

•   Food court staff should wear mask and hand gloves and take other required precautionary measures, the seating arrangement should ensure adequate social distancing between patrons as far as feasible and tables should be sanitized each time a customer leaves.

•   Gaming arcades, children play areas and cinema halls inside shopping malls shall remain closed.

•   Spitting should be strictly prohibited and installation and use of Aarogya Setu App shall be advised to all.

•   The ministry advised persons aged above 65, those having comorbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10  to stay at home, except for essential and health purposes.

Mangaluru, Jul 1: Sudarshan Moodbidri, president of Dakshina Kannada district unit of Bharatiya Janata Party escaped unhurt after the car in which he was travelling met with an accident today on the outskirts of the city. 

The car’s front portion was completely damaged in the accident. It is not yet known who was driving the car. Sources said that Sudarshan did not suffer any injury. 

The mishap occurred when the driver lost control while trying to avoid hitting a pedestrian at Mijar near Moodbidri. The car collided with an oncoming vehicle before it veered off the road and entered the roadside sludge.

Sleuths from Moodbidri station police visited the spot as part of investigation.

Bengaluru, Jun 3: The Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences at Hubballi has successfully treated a COVID-19 patient through plasma therapy, state medical education minister K Sudhakar said today.

"Karnataka achieves yet another milestone in battle against #COVID19. KIMS Hubli has successfully treated a Covid19 patient through Plasma Therapy & is the first institute in the state to accomplish this. Congrats to KIMS doctors & staff for this feat!" Mr Sudhakar tweeted.

In plasma therapy treatment, plasma cells from a COVID-19 patient, who has recovered from the disease, is transfused to a coronavirus patient who is in critical condition to treat him.

Plasma therapy was effectively used in the past during Ebola and the Spanish flu pandemic.