New Delhi, June 5: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued guidelines for for safe ENT -- Ear, Nose, Throat -- practice to minimise the spread of COVID-19 infection among doctors, nursing staff, support staff, patients and their attendants. This new notification is in line with other Standard Operating Procedures issued by the Centre amid coronavirus pandemic.

Issuing the guidelines, the Union Health Ministry considered ENT as a a high-risk speciality. The Ministry's guidelines include protocols and SOPs for ENT out patient department, protocol for ENT and head and neck surgery ward, and the last one being guidelines for operation theatre for ENT surgeries. Healthcare Workers, Using PPE, Carry No Risk to Families, Says Centre to Supreme Court.

In the guidelines, the ministry said that tele-consultations will be most preferable, while time-based appointment to limited numbers can be made for patients. Also, the Ministry made screening of all patients at OPD entry at hospitals. Apart from this, the Health Ministry issued separate guidelines for ENT and Head and Neck Surgery ward. Proper sanitation, hygiene practice, and use of PPE kits have been made mandatory.

Here's the Health Ministry's entire guideline:

Earlier on May 30, the Union Government issued a new set for guidelines for phased re-opening of all activities outside containment zones for the next one month under its UNLOCK 1 initiative. In the new circular, the Union government divided the unlocking in three phases. The Union Minister of Home Affairs stated that lockdown to continue in containment zones till June 30 and only essential activities allowed.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 05, 2020 02:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).