India News | Quarantine Period of Doctors to Be Treated as 'on Duty': Health Ministry

Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The health ministry has asked all the states to treat the quarantine period of doctors and health workers as "on duty" amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

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New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) The health ministry has asked all the states to treat the quarantine period of doctors and health workers as "on duty" amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a letter to the chief secretaries of the states and Union territories, directors of all the AIIMS and directors and medical superintendents of central government hospitals dated August 6, Joint Secretary in the health ministry Lav Agarwal has said the quarantine period of doctors and health workers for their duties related to COVID-19 shall be treated as "on duty".

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The matter was under consideration since it was pointed out in the Supreme Court that in some cases, doctors and health workers, who are quarantined, are being treated as on leave, Agarwal said.

"The matter has since been considered by this Ministry in consultation with the Department of Personnel and Training and it has been decided that the quarantine period of doctors and health workers needs to be treated as on duty," he said.

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Those with a high-risk exposure to the virus while performing COVID-related duties are required to undergo quarantine for a week initially. Thereafter, a decision shall be taken by the institution concerned on extending the quarantine period by one more week, the letter said.

"This quarantine has been prescribed in larger public interest to stop the spread of the disease," it added. PTI UZM RC 08102018 NNNNtches in charge. Zidane has the second-most league victories as Madrid coach with 90, behind the 257 of Miguel Muñoz.

Madrid players walked a few hundred meters (yards) from the team's housing facilities to the stadium for the match that marked the club's return after a pause of more than three months because of the pandemic.

A large banner in the stands spanned from one goal line to the other with the image of a black ribbon and the message "in our hearts," honoring the nearly 28,000 who have died with COVID-19 in Spain. The league officially resumed on Thursday with third-place Sevilla defeating city rival Real Betis 2-0.

The victory kept Madrid two points behind Barcelona, which returned on Saturday with a 4-0 rout at Mallorca. Eibar and Mallorca are both fighting relegation.

Madrid dominated from the start and Kroos opened the scoring with a shot into the top corner in the fourth minute. Ramos added to the lead from close range in the 30th after a pass by Hazard, who started the buildup for Marcelo's strike from inside the area in the 37th.

Eibar, sitting two points outside the relegation zone, got its only goal from Pedro Bigas in the 60th.

Ramos had scored the first goal at the Alfredo Di Stéfano when it was inaugurated with an exhibition match in 2006.

"The truth is we are all thrilled to be back on the field again," Ramos said.

"We couldn't wait for the league to start again, to compete again, and the best way to do that is with a win."

Madrid is expected to play all of its remaining home matches at the Alfredo Di Stéfano because the Bernabéu will continue to undergo renovation work during the summer.

The club is likely to remain at the stadium for the rest of the season even if fans are allowed back before then, which the league has said is a possibility.

ATLÉTICO HELD

Atlético Madrid's struggles continued as its season resumed after being held 1-1 at Athletic Bilbao for its third straight league draw.

The setback kept Diego Simeone's team in sixth place, outside the Champions League spots.

The goals at the empty San Mamés Stadium came a couple of minutes apart late in the first half, with Athletic's Iker Muniain scoring in the 37th and Atlético equalizing with Diego Costa in the 39th for his first goal since last October.

During the celebration, Costa held the jersey of Atlético women's team player Virginia Torrecilla, who is recovering from brain surgery to remove a tumor.

It was the 13th league draw for Atlético, which has only two wins in its last nine league matches.

"We earned a draw at a tough place but we need to start winning three points if we want to stay in contention to qualify for the Champions League," Atlético midfielder Jorge "Koke" Resurrección said.

"It will be difficult if we don't start winning matches."

Atlético's last match before the break had been an away victory against Liverpool that eliminated the titleholders in the Champions League round of 16. But Atlético had drawn its last two league matches — against Sevilla and Espanyol — to drop in the standings and remain far from the leaders. It trails Barcelona by 15 points with 10 rounds left.

Atlético has the same 46 points as fifth-place Getafe and is a point behind fourth-place Real Sociedad, which drew 1-1 with Osasuna at home on Sunday.

Athletic, which had won two in a row before the break, stayed in 10th place. AP

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)

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