Omicron: Centre revises guidelines for govt employees amid COVID surge; details here

From changes in the attendance system to revising physical workplace policies and re-implementing work from home for selective groups of employees, here are the new guidelines to be followed from today.

New Delhi: In view of the constantly rising COVID-19 cases, the Centre on Monday (January 3) issued work guidelines to be followed by the Union government employees at the workplace to prevent any further spread of the virus.

From changes in the attendance system to revising physical workplace policies and re-implementing work from home for selective groups of employees, here are the big announcements from the government today.

• Physical attendance of government employees below the level of under-secretary restricted to 50%. Remaining of the employees will have to work from home.
• Persons with disabilities as well as pregnant women employees have been exempted from attending the office and can work from home.
• Government officers/staff residing in COVID containment zones have been exempted from coming to the office till containment zones are de-notified.
• Central Government officers/staff will have to follow staggered timing to avoid overcrowding
• Biometric attendance has been suspended by the Personnel Ministry for all the Central Government employees till January 31.
• All the heads of departments will have to ensure that all employees wear masks at all times and follow COVID-appropriate behaviour strictly.

The emergence of the highly transmissible Omicron variant in India gave rise to daily COVID cases in the country.

On Monday, India recorded 33,750 fresh COVID cases with the Omicron tally crossing the 1700 mark.

According to the health ministry, India's Covid tally rose to 3,49,22,882 today, while the active cases increased to 1,45,582. The death toll climbed to 4,81,893 with 123 more fatalities, the data showed.

The active cases have increased to 1,45,582, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.20 per cent, the health ministry said.