The Tianjin Headquarters for COVID-19 Prevention and Control has released the Guidelines of Tianjin on Operation Resumption of Museums, Public Libraries and Cultural Centers amid the COVID-19 Epidemic at this critical moment of containing the novel noronavirus in the city.

The Guidelines, compiled in accordance with the Circular on Printing and Issuing the Guidelines on Strengthening the Measures for Preventing and Containing COVID-19 During Resumption in Enterprises’ Production and Institutions’ Operation by the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council as well as relevant documents of Tianjin, is to facilitate museums (including memorials and art galleries), public libraries and cultural centers which meet the requirements of work resumption and epidemic prevention.

Adhere to area-specific and multi-level approaches and implement responsibility of epidemic prevention and control

Adhere to area-specific and multi-level approaches. In line with differentiated epidemic control measures and the situation of the COVID-19 epidemic, historical and cultural sites, museums, public libraries and cultural centers shall resume operation in an orderly manner. The venues allowed open include: historical and cultural sites and outdoor areas of museums built on ruins in medium-risk areas and museums, memorials, outdoor historical and cultural sites, public libraries and cultural centers  in low-risk areas.

But these venues shall not be open for the time being: all kinds of museums, memorials, historical and cultural sites, public libraries and cultural centers in high-risk areas and historical and cultural sites, indoor exhibition halls and exhibition halls in relics, public libraries and cultural centers in medium-risk areas.

Set up work groups for epidemic prevention. Venue managers are the primary responsible persons for containing the virus in the venues, an epidemic prevention and control system shall be established, and staff information shall be collected. Work groups for epidemic prevention headed by chief executives shall be put in place to coordinate and implement epidemic prevention and work resumption in the venues according to plans and the situation of the epidemic.

Make work plans. The venues shall, in accordance with the Guidelines and on the basis of targeted measures, work out epidemic prevention measures, work procedures and emergency plans to define duties at each level. Also, the venues shall carry out drills to ensure effectiveness of the plans.

Raise awareness of risk prevention. The venues shall strengthen their staffs’ awareness of risk prevention of COVID-19, and incorporate knowledge of infectious disease prevention into their routine training. Before reopening, they will complete epidemic prevention and control training through QQ groups, WeChat groups or their internal network, seeing that all staffs are well informed of and able to handle emergencies.

Improve management and keep environment clean

Maintain ventilation. On the basis of ensuring proper temperature, the venues shall strengthen indoor air circulation. Natural ventilation is preferred. They shall open doors and windows to ensure that the indoor air quality conforms to the national standard of hygienic indicators and limits for public places. Air conditioning and ventilation systems, in accordance with the guidelines for the operation and management of air conditioning and ventilation systems in workplaces and public places amid the epidemic, shall be regularly disinfected. With various measures, air quality inside the venues are expected to be improved.

Ensure operation of hand washing and other facilities. The venues shall install hand washing facilities, and hand washing and spraying facilities must be in operation. If there is no such facility, rinse-free disinfectant hand sanitizers must be available.

Conduct disinfection. As required in a notice on further regulating and strengthening disinfection during the epidemic period, disinfection shall be regularly conducted by designated personnel to public areas, workplaces, canteens, toilets, etc. Public facilities touched frequently shall be disinfected more frequently, including elevator buttons, escalator handrails, gate handrails, service desks, faucets and closestools. Also, articles provided for visitors like free crutches, wheelchairs, umbrellas and voice guide equipment shall be disinfected once a day and upon use. Facilities and equipment such as instruments, props, performance equipment, exhibition equipment and self-service borrowing and returning machines shall be regularly disinfected as well.

Public libraries are requested to disinfect all the books and periodicals returned by readers, and those that have not been disinfected should be placed in a specified area. Museums must adopt standardized and effective air disinfection measures for exhibition halls that are not ventilated to avoid damage to cultural relics. Disinfection by spraying alcohol is prohibited, and if alcohol disinfection has to be carried out, it is a must to use a rag with alcohol to wipe the object.

Disinfection teams and supervision teams shall be set up to inspect the disinfection of all areas in the venues, and ledgers for disinfection and inspection shall be established for review.

Prepare necessary protective supplies. The venues shall have necessary protective supplies such as infrared thermometers, medical surgical masks, medical disinfectants, alcohol, UV disinfection lamps, disinfectants for air conditioning systems and hand sanitizers. Besides, they shall establish contact with medical institutions nearby to ensure timely treatment if there is any suspected case.

Handle garbage in a scientific manner. The venues shall, in line with the requirements stipulated in a notice on printing and distributing the protection manual for returning to work amid the outbreak, classify and temporarily place garbage generated every day in garbage disposal areas and handle it in time. When placing garbage, personnel in charge must cover a garbage bag in the garbage can and close the lid. The garbage can must be disinfected regularly, and a can for recycling used masks must be at place. Surroundings of the disposal areas shall be kept clean.

Designate an emergency area. The venues shall cooperate with the district in jurisdiction to carry out daily epidemic control and designate an emergency area in the each venue. When there is a suspected case, the venue shall put the person in quarantine in the area immediately and temporarily, and perform emergency measures as required.

Regulate the use of elevators and escalators. It is recommended to choose exit passageways or escalators in the venues and avoid direct contact with handrails as much as possible. If riding on an elevator, it is suggested to avoid direct touch with the buttons with hands, keep a proper distance from each other and get in and out fast.

Resume business gradually. Based on actual conditions, all venues shall gradually resume operation of different areas and activities. Areas that do not meet the conditions for reopening and activities prone to crowd shall not be reopened for the time being. During the epidemic, all gathering activities involving lectures, training, seminars, movie watching, performances and competitions are not allowed, and narrator services shall be suspended as well.

Strengthen operation and maintenance. The venues shall assign employees to regularly inspect their key areas including power distribution rooms, air conditioning rooms and public areas. Also, inspection shall be carried out on water, electricity and gas usage. Any problems found shall be solved and reported in time to guarantee safe operation of the venues.

Enhance personal health protection and management

Strengthen health monitoring. The venues shall keep trace of the staffs (including service outsourcing personnel). Employees from Hubei Province shall be put in centralized quarantine for 14 days and undergo health monitoring twice a day. Those from other affected regions with high or medium risks shall be isolated at home or in a centralized quarantine area for 14 days and undergo health monitoring twice a day. Those from low-risk regions and with no flu-like symptoms and no contact with confirmed cases are allowed to work.

Meanwhile, the venues shall manage their staffs according to different posts and put those returning to Tianjin under medical observation. Employees under medical observation are not allowed to work with other staff members. Certain personnel shall be designated to manage all exit and entrance passages of the venues and dormitories. Venues that use fingerprint attendance machines shall temporarily stop using and choose other attendance methods instead. Employees to enter the venues shall have their body temperature measured at entrances. Only those with normal temperature are allowed entry. Besides, all staffs are required to wear masks. Those who have to have close contact with visitors must wear and remove masks correctly, pay attention to personal hygiene and implement effective protective measures.

Report health conditions. The venues shall make sure that the health report system cover every staff member, establish health records for the staffs, and strengthen daily health monitoring. All employees should pay attention to their health monitoring when at work, and report in time and go to a designated hospital as required in case of symptoms such as fever and cough.

Reduce staff gathering and group activities. Centralized meetings, chatting in groups, cross-posting and centralized dining are all prohibited. The venues shall guide employees to queue up in an orderly manner and keep a proper distance from each other when using passages, elevators, stairs and smoking areas. In principle, there should be no more than six persons in a dormitory room, and floor area per capita should not be less than 2.5 square meters.

Strengthen dining management for employees. Canteen staff shall, as required, fill in information, have temperature measured and scan codes for entry and exit. They are required to hold health certificates, wear protective masks throughout working hours, undergo regular tests every day, and have their health conditions recorded. All employees shall have meals by turns. When queuing for meals, they are required to wear masks and keep a distance of more than one meter from each other; When dining, they shall sit at a separate table and in the same direction with a distance of at least 1.2 meters from each other.

Guide self-protection. The venues shall, by various forms, strengthen the popularization of epidemic prevention knowledge after they resume work. Employees shall prevent from unnecessary going out and avoid going to places where people gather, especially places with poor ventilation. When in densely populated areas, they are required to wear masks and other protective articles according to a notice on printing and distributing technical guidelines for the selection and use of masks for different populations to contain the COVID-19.

Measure temperature of visitors and control flow

Measure the temperature of visitors. The venues shall assign personnel in charge of measuring temperature at the entrances for every visitor arriving at the venues. Only those with normal temperature are allowed entry.

Monitor mask wearing. Designated personnel shall remind visitors to wear masks before entering the venues. Anyone without a mask on shall be refused entry.

Scan codes for entry. Visitors are required to scan the QR code of the “jinmenzhanyi” (“津门战疫”) mini-program posted at entrances and exits of the venues. They can also show their health QR code and only those with a green code are allowed entry. The venues shall arrange personnel to assist those who do not know how to deal with the procedures in filling in information.

Control the flow of visitors. The venues shall roll out measures to control the flow of visitors, including appointment for a visit, total amount control and rush-hour avoidance. The number of visitors in real time shall be limited according to area calculation (decided by the area of exhibition halls in museums and by the usage area of libraries and cultural centers), with a maximum of one visitor per four square meters. The venues shall divert the flow and ensure that visitors keep a proper distance from each other in the public areas. When the total number of visitors in the venues reaches the limit, no more visitors shall be allowed. Those waiting at the entrances are required to queue up orderly and keep a distance of more than one meter from each other.

Keep ready for suspected cases. Anyone who develops fever or respiratory symptoms shall be put in isolation, and disinfection measures shall be taken immediately. They shall be reported timely to the health departments in jurisdiction. The venues shall, under the guidance of the departments, deal with the cases in a classified manner.

Strengthen publicity. Billboards shall be set up at a prominent position of entrances to advertise requirements, common sense and epidemic precautions through videos or publicity materials. Also, the venues shall make public the specific location and telephone number of their quarantine points and the telephone number of corresponding epidemic prevention departments in jurisdiction. It is encouraged to publicize knowledge on containing the virus by establishing exhibition walls and display boards in outdoor areas of the venues.

Continue to provide online services. The venues shall, by utilizing digital resources such as online exhibitions and performances, online education, online reading and online open courses, continuously enrich the resources to provide high-quality digital cultural products and services.

Tighten measures on mass prevention and control. The venues shall cooperate with the epidemic prevention authorities, public security and cultural and tourism departments in jurisdiction to curb the outbreak. They shall persuade and warn the visitors who spit, litter or refuse to have body temperature measured. Those found violating the regulations on epidemic prevention shall be reported to and dealt with by the epidemic prevention authorities at the first time.