Following the requirements of effectively containing the COVID-19 outbreak while ensuring stable and safe economic growth, with the aims of efficiently coordinating COVID-19 prevention and control with socioeconomic development, protecting the safety and health of the public, and minimizing the impact of COVID-19 on socioeconomic development, we have designed a step-by-step guide for enterprises and public entities in Haizhu District to help them resume work:

1. Eligible entities

Category I: enterprises and public entities located in the areas to the east of Dongxiao Road – Changgang Road, and to the west of Huangpu Stream – Chisha Stream – the Hua'nan Expressway – the Guangzhou City Ring Expressway – the Xinguang Expressway which are applying to resume work; other enterprises and public entities located in areas where work and production activities are suspended; enterprises and public entities registered in Haizhu district whose registered addresses do not fall in the areas listed above, and whose employees live inside these areas. The areas listed above do not include high-risk areas.

Category II: enterprises and public entities with employees who live inside the listed areas (excluding high-risk areas), and these employees who are required to return to work outside Haizhu District.

2. Standard operating procedure

For Category I enterprises and public entities:

(1) Online application (send the following documents to the designated e-mail address). Enterprises and public entities must submit their applications to industrial administration authorities or local subdistricts online by attaching the following documents:

a. Application Form for Resumption of Work and Production for Enterprises and Public Entities in Haizhu.

b. Documents required for setting up a "Group Health Code" for enterprises and public entities.

c. Daily COVID-19 prevention and control as well as emergency response plans; Letter of Assurance on Strictly Fulfilling COVID-19 Prevention and Control Obligations.

d. A "white list" of employees who are based inside the listed areas (excluding high-risk areas) or employees who voluntarily enter into the listed areas, moreover, these employees must meet the following requirements: they must have tested negative for COVID-19 for five consecutive days; they must not have reported any symptoms such as fever, sore throat or dry cough in the past three days; and their health codes must be green.

e. Enterprises and public entities must devise a plan to transport employees on the whitelist from the listed areas to closed-loop workplaces, and a plan for closed-off management.

(2) Category-based application acceptance and review. Each industrial administration authority must accept and review the applications submitted by enterprises and public entities with more than 500 employees (including 500) who are expected to return to work; each subdistrict must accept and review the applications submitted by enterprises and public entities with fewer than 500 employees who are expected to return to work.

(3) Set a timeframe for application processing. Application review entities must inform the applicants of the results within two days after receiving all the supporting documents from the applying entities. At the same time, the review entities shall issue vehicle passes and staff passes to the employees on the "whitelist" who are expected to return to work. Applicants can only transport their employees to closed-loop workplaces after receiving said passes. Closed-loop management shall be implemented afterward.

(4) Enhance dynamic supervision. Market regulation authorities shall order enterprises and public entities to suspend all activities if they resumed unauthorized work or production. For enterprises and public entities which have filed an application but failed to implement closed-off management measures, the review authorities shall urge them to take rectification measures in time. If they failed to take any rectification measures, they must be ordered to suspend all activities.

For Category II enterprises and public entities:

(1) Online application submitted by employers. Enterprises and public entities located outside Haizhu district that do require employees living in the "listed areas" of Haizhu shall submit an application to the subdistrict where their employees live by providing the following documents:

a. Application Form for Resumption of Work and Production for Enterprises and Public Entities outside Haizhu.

b. Documents required for setting up "Group Health Code" for enterprises and public entities.

c. Daily COVID-19 prevention and control as well as emergency response plans; Letter of Assurance on Strictly Fulfilling COVID-19 Prevention and Control Obligations.

d. A "white list" of employees who are based inside the listed areas (excluding high-risk areas) or employees who voluntarily enter into the listed areas, moreover, these employees must meet the following requirements: they must have tested negative for COVID-19 for five days in a row; they must not have reported any symptoms such as fever, sore throat or dry cough in the past three days; and their health codes must be green.

e. Enterprises and public entities must report relevant information to their local community committees.

(2) Set a timeframe for application processing and employee transporting. Application review entities must inform the applicants of the results within two days after receiving all the supporting documents from the applying entities. At the same time, the review entities shall issue temporary passes to the employees who are expected to leave Haizhu and return to work. Employers shall then transport their employees to closed-loop workplaces outside Haizhu. Closed-loop management shall be implemented afterward.

3. Application requirements

(1) At the time of application, enterprises and public entities must have a well-developed and practical emergency response plan and have made institutional arrangements. Enterprises and public entities must fulfill their obligations. They will be responsible for transporting employees on the "whitelist" to closed-loop workplaces and then implement closed-loop management.

(2) Enterprises and public entities which are set to resume work must enhance entry management. At the entrances to the workplaces of these enterprises and public entities, measures such as taking temperatures, scanning venue codes and checking 24-hour negative PCR results must be implemented. External visitors shall avoid direct contact with employees. Any visitor entering these enterprises and public entities must take an antigen test. Employees on the "whitelist" shall use fixed areas of work, and fixed routes to work. Moreover, fixed shifts must be implemented to avoid mixing and gathering of employees. At these enterprises and public entities, employees under closed-off management must avoid direct contact with commuting employees.

(3) Employees on the "whitelist" must live in the same place. Enterprises and public entities must provide independent accommodation for their employees. The employees must live in hotels, dormitories, apartments or live inside the enterprises and public entities without going out. Daily necessities must be provided, and there must be sufficient toilets and bathrooms available. Employees shall refrain from visiting others when living in these accommodations. They should also monitor their health and take PCR tests as required. Employees must report their health status on a daily basis, including COVID-19 related symptoms such as fever, sore throat and cough. Health information must be collected and reported on a daily basis. PCR tests must be conducted once every day. The employees shall visit the PCR test site and take the test in an orderly, organized manner to avoid gathering. Employees who are on different positions or are from different departments shall take the PCR test in different time slots. The enterprises and public entities must pay attention to the physical and mental health of their employees.

(4) Enterprises and public entities which are set to resume work must enhance management of vehicles and drivers. Vehicle passes must be issued by review entities after applications have been processed. When entering into the enterprises and entities, trucks must drive into a relatively isolated temporary unloading area to unload the goods. Drivers must avoid getting off the vehicle to achieve contactless delivery. Disinfection of work areas must be carried out every day. Disinfection measures must be taken on objects to avoid transmission caused by objects. For persons in key positions, dedicated substitutes must be reserved. There should also be regular shift changes and rotations.

(5) Employees on the "whitelist" shall take proper personal precautionary measures. When working in a closed-loop, employees must wear masks, keep their work and living spaces well-ventilated, wash hands frequently and practice social distancing. Meals must be had on a staggered schedule and dining in must be suspended.