SOPs for General Shops and Stores in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD Administration released Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for management of Stores and General Stops in the city during the coronavirus outbreak.

The guidelines provide store owners with precautionary measures that they can follow to ensure that the spread of COVID-19 is kept under control while ensuring supply of essential goods.

Since the coronavirus pandemic has forced most businesses to shut down, following these measures will allow businesses to operate and ensure that the spread of the virus is minimized because retail stores that include pharmacies, general stores selling food and essential items cannot remain closed.

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The Guidelines for Business include:

• The staff should wash hands with soap and water frequently or use an alcohol-based (70%) hand sanitizer.
• Ensure the availability of alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 70% alcohol) at the store entrance for the customers.
• Make sure each customer sanitizes his hand before entering the store and while leaving.
• Ensure the availability of thermal guns at entrance and allow customers only after checking temperature.
• Do not allow the customer with cough and flu to enter the store.
• To ensure the space does not get crowded, allow people to enter the shop only in small groups.
• Customers and salesperson should maintain the safe distance of 6 feet (and preferably 2 meters) among each other.
• Disinfect the most frequently used surfaces by the customers such as shopping trollies, door handles, cashier counter, product racks etc. with 0.5% diluted bleach or 60%-80% dilute alcohol solution.
• Disinfect the floor with bleach or alcohol-based surface cleaner regularly at equal intervals. (Disinfectant formulations such as sodium hypochlorite with concentration of 5000-6150 ppm to 500-615 ppm free chlorine are used for environmental surface cleaning)
• The ATM machines should be cleaned with alcohol swab after every customer use and make available a hand sanitizer beside each machine. The credit/debit card machine available at cashier counter should also be disinfected frequently.
• Each salesperson and receptionist must ensure the use of gloves.
• The rest areas for staff should be disinfected regularly and should be used in compliance to the social distancing measure (i.e. 6 feet) among each other.
• The sick staff members should practice social distancing and must keep a track of their symptoms. (Separate Guidelines for Management of Cough, Fever, Flu During COVID 19)
• Keep reminding the customer to buy as per their need to prevent hoarding of products.
• Ensure the public display of notices promoting hand hygiene and social distancing inside the stores as well as outside the stores, buildings and plaza.
• Ensure queue control, maintaining the advised 6 feet distance, outside of shops and other essential premises that remain open.
• The store manager and staff must keep themselves updated with the updated instructions issued by the government and show strict compliance to them.

Guidelines for Customers include:

• Avoid going to the store or market if you are suffering from fever, cough or flu.
• Make sure to sanitize your hands before and after the shopping.
• Avoid touching the surfaces unnecessarily.
• Maintain distance of 6 feet (and preferably 2 meters) from salesperson or other customer within the store.
• Follow the safety guidance provided by the store management and cooperate with the staff.
• If you observe no compliance to the guidelines by the store management, play your responsible role as a citizen and inform the local authorities.

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