MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

No more home office for Argentine civil servants

Exemptions still apply in cases of people within high-risk groups

The times of home office for Argentine civil servants come to an end effective Monday following a decision by Secretary of Public Management and Employment, Ana Castellani, after COVID-19's critical stage has been deemed to be over.

The new decision marks the end of a modality that has been in use for a little over two years to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2.

”Each jurisdiction, agency, and entity of the national public administration (...) shall provide for the return to the service provision modality that was customary prior to the effectiveness of Decree 260 of March 12, 2020, and its amendments,“ Resolution 58/2022 mandates.

A first step had already been taken in mid-August, when state employees started to return to their jobs, although under a mixed scheme that combined remote tasks and ”scheduled attendance.“ At that time, employees were required to have taken ”at least the first dose of any of the vaccines intended to generate immunity against COVID-19,“ 14 days before physically returning to their jobs, while the offices were reset in accordance with guidelines from health authorities.

In any case, workers must now also continue to follow general recommendations to prevent new infections of coronavirus and other respiratory diseases. Those who have chosen not to be vaccinated must ”sign an affidavit stating that they have received and understood the information related to vaccination and that they assume all responsibility derived from the conduct they adopt.“

Also, those who are not vaccinated must commit themselves to ”take the necessary measures to avoid the damages that their decision may cause to the normal performance of the work team they are part of.“

However, people belonging to risk groups, ”who have some kind of immunosuppression, a comorbidity, ... a situation that prevents, with accreditation of medical certificate, face-to-face attendance” will continue to be exempted from the new measure. The list specifically mentions people with congenital immunodeficiencies, functional or anatomical asplenia, sickle cell anemia and severe malnutrition, those with HIV (depending on their status), and patients taking immunosuppressive medication or corticosteroids in high doses.