Sharekhan

Sharekhan has sought self-declaration from employees who have travelled abroad recently. These employees have been instructed to monitor their health for a period of 14 days. The employees who have travelled to high-risk countries in the last 14 days have been instructed to work from home or extend their leave by 14 days.

Monitoring temperature of visitors

Updated March 11, 2020 6.00am

Sharekhan will soon start monitoring the temperature of visitors to all its branches and offices across the country. The security staff have already been instructed to seek travel details from visitors to prevent those who may have visited high-risk countries from entering Sharekhan premises.

Distributing masks to staff

Updated March 11, 2020 5.00pm

Sharekhan has procured surgical masks and distributed them to the Admin staff including receptionists, and housekeeping and security personnel.

Hand sanitisers at all locations

Updated March 11, 2020 4.00pm

Sharekhan has provided hand sanitisers at the reception of all its offices and branches.

COVID-19 Heroes

COVID-19 Heroes #15:

Sherus in Hyderabad and Mumbai go out of their way to help customers and win hearts Updated June 5, 2020 2.00pm

COVID-19 Heroes #14:

An old inactive DP client shifts from a top national broker to Sharekhan, thanks to the prompt action of Sheru Pankaj Shah Updated May 6, 2020 4.45pm

COVID-19 Heroes #13:

Two Sherus from the Advisory team bravely traveled to work for eight days to carry out critical tasks in lockdown Updated May 6, 2020 4.45pm

COVID-19 Heroes #12:

How Tushar Chorera helped an ultra HNI client resume trading in the lockdown Updated April 28, 2020 12.45pm

COVID-19 Heroes #11:

Three Sherus handled customers of the Ahmedabad – Navrangpura branch when all front-line staff Updated April 23, 2020 1.00pm

COVID-19 Heroes #10:

Pankaj Shah rescued an HNI client, who was unable to pay his dues to Sharekhan due to lockdown Updated April 20, 2020 4:30pm

COVID-19 Heroes #9:

A few Sherus from the Kolkata Advisory branch travelled long distances on two-wheelers for work on March 23 Updated April 17, 2020 1.30pm

COVID-19 Heroes #8:

Institutional Desk team did whatever it took to reach office on March 23 Updated April 16, 2020 2.00pm

COVID-19 Heroes #7:

Shailesh Gaikar comes up with innovative solutions to deliver desktops home and pay bonus on time Updated April 15, 2020 2.15pm

COVID-19 Heroes #6:

Office Assistant Akram alone manages cheque collection for five branches in Vadodara Updated April 15, 2020 9.45am

COVID-19 Heroes #5:

Publishing team ensures research reports reach customers on time, come Coronavirus outbreak or lockdown Updated April 15, 2020 9.45am

COVID-19 Heroes #4:

Admin team works round the clock to arrange transport and meals for employees Updated April 15, 2020 9.45am

COVID-19 Heroes #3:

Our IT colleagues slogged for days to enable us to work from home Updated April 15, 2020 9.45am

COVID-19 Heroes #2:

The back-office leads from the front in Pune Updated April 15, 2020 9.45am

COVID-19 Heroes #1:

The C&B division of HR bravely faced all odds to ensure early release of salary Updated April 15, 2020 9.45am

TRAVEL ADVISORY

All International business travel in to and out of India suspended, domestic business travel remains highly restricted

Updated March 18, 2020 12.41am

All inter-office/branch travel suspended with immediate effect, split teams and remote-working policy being tested

Updated March 13, 2020 3.45pm

All international business travel in and out of India suspended, domestic business travel restricted

Updated March 12, 2020 3.40pm

BNP Paribas issues an update on the travel advisory and related self-quarantine update for all BNP Paribas staff in India across business lines.

Business Travel

International travel
All International business travel in and out of India is suspended. Any previous approvals stand cancelled with immediate effect. Please liaise with the travel desk for any cancellations that may be required.
Domestic Business Travel
Remains restricted and will require the approval of the respective CEO of each entity. Travel to Delhi / Hyderabad / Agra / Jaipur / Bangalore / Pune / Kerala will require the additional approval of the Head of Territory. During the travel, if you do come into contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, self-quarantine of 14 days is required i.e. not coming to the office, not meeting employees or clients. You must contact your manager to work from home or HR with regard to the treatment of leave in case you cannot work from home.

Personal Travel

We strongly urge staff to exercise utmost caution and to review travel advisories from various countries/governments before undertaking any personal travel (Domestic or International). We kindly ask staff to keep us informed of their personal travels plans, by updating the leave system or completing the attached worksheet and send to their managers and HR.

We remind staff that they will be required to be quarantined on their return from exposed areas as per any travel advisory received from the Government of India or BNP Paribas Group.

For Domestic trips, the prevalence of COVID-19 is changing rapidly within Indian cities. Kindly use caution and judgement before undertaking any personal travel.

We remind employees that the above advisory is to protect the health of our staff and we look forward to complete cooperation on the same.

Exposed areas

Any staff that have visited the following countries (including transit) since Feb 15:

Mainland China
Hong Kong
Taiwan
Macau
Italy
Iran
South Korea
France
Spain
Germany
Middle East (United Arab Emirates*, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Israel and Lebanon)

*United Arab Emirates includes Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain.

must self-quarantine themselves for 14 days after their return date.

The above list is dynamic and is regularly updated. Please refer to the attachment on COVID-19 Travel Advisory for further details.

Reminder on the determination of quarantine rules

In addition of the quarantine period resulting from travel history (as described above), we kindly remind you that you should report to HR and self-quarantine yourself in the following cases:

If you come into contact (*) with a confirmed case of COVID-19, then the self-quarantine period of 14 days will apply. You can come back to work provided that you are free of any symptoms of COVID-19.
If you come into contact (*) with a suspected case of COVID-19 (family member or close relative) who is showing symptoms, you must stay at home until the result of the family member’s test is known. If the test is positive, then the self-quarantine period of 14 days will apply. If the test is negative, the employee can come back to work provided that they themselves are free of any symptoms of COVID-19.
(*) Contact = at less than 2 meters distance for at least 15 min

We remind staff that self-quarantine would mean no contact with other staff, clients or visits to any BNP Paribas office. Staff should work from home where possible or contact HR with respect to treatment of leave in the event they cannot work from home.

Staff must complete the health questionnaire on completion of the quarantine period and can return to work provided that they are free of any symptoms of COVID-19.

Government advises against non-essential foreign travel

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, has issued additional travel advisory for Indians intending to travel abroad. More than 100 countries across the world now have reported cases of COVID-19. People traveling to these countries or people who have travelled abroad might come in contact with people affected with COVID-19 during their stay or even while in transit at the airports. Within these countries, a few countries have reported a very large number of cases and deaths, putting passengers from these countries particularly at higher risk of infection.

In view of the above, Indian citizens are advised:

To avoid non- essential travel abroad.
They are further strongly advised to refrain from travelling to China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, Japan, France, Spain and Germany.

Staff travel to risky zones banned

Updated March 12, 2020 3.20pm

All employees who may have visited the below mentioned international destinations in the last 14 days are requested to reply back to the HR team with their travel details. Please reply to hr@sharekhan.com keeping your reporting manager in the e-mail.

Risky zone under travel ban:

Hokkaido in Japan,
Lombardy or Veneto in Italy,
South Korea
Macau

All business travel require special approval

Updated March 11, 2020 7.18pm

Encouraging signs that the Covid-2019 epidemic is coming under control in mainland China are there . The situation seems also under control in Singapore and Hong Kong, but still under close watch and monitoring . However, the situation continues to worsen outside mainland China, notably now in South Korea , across Italy , in Japan Hokkaido Island or some other countries. The epidemic may soon be declared a worldwide pandemic by the World Health Organization.

Therefore in this context, please note the following business travel policy update. As a result of the same, all overseas travel will require special approval at your entity level/Territory level and APAC Management level as per the process outlined below. Therefore all international travel requests will be routed via the Admin team for further approvals.

For all BNP Paribas staff based in India, the following internal rules are applicable immediately for ALL INTERNATIONAL business travel:

Should a business trip be approved (approval process below), the individual must complete a health questionnaire before travelling (attached):
- On the date of travel (or one day before), staff MUST go through the attached questionnaire and confirm to their immediate hierarchical manager, via email, that they have answered NO to all questions in order to obtain travel clearance;
- Staff should NOT travel if, on their planned date of departure, they meet any of the criteria included in the attached questionnaire (i.e. if they respond YES to any questions);
- On their departure date (or the day before) they MUST confirm to their Host internal contact (i.e. the BNP Paribas colleague they plan to meet abroad) via email that they have been cleared to travel (i.e. they have NOT answered yes to any question in the travel clearance questionnaire);
- Staff should be aware that they may need to complete a health questionnaire upon arrival as a precautionary measure to enter the Bank’s premises abroad and that they could be prevented from accessing the premises if they do not meet any of the criteria in the attached questionnaire;
New Travel Booking Procedures:
- Booking must be made via the Admin team.
- Booking requests will be routed for further approvals via the Admin team for additional prior approvals as below: each of respective CEOs/ Deputy CEOs will ensure the validation of the requests by the Head of Territory.
Admin team will issue a ticket only when they receive:
- Notification of the manager approval
- Email approval from either the Head of Territory or Regional Head, as required.

We will inform you as and when there are amendments to these new travel-related measures.

Business travel advisory issued

Updated March 11, 2020 6.40pm

Sharekhan has instituted restrictions for all business travels worldwide for employees in our region to mitigate the risk of transmission of the coronavirus (Covid-19).

Given that the situation is rapidly evolving, with new outbreaks emerging in other APAC countries and beyond, some governments are adjusting their travel advisories and enacting local filtering and/or quarantine measures based on travel itineraries.

In this context, you may find yourselves subject to such measures during personal trips. We, therefore, kindly ask you to keep your managers and HR informed of planned personal travel abroad for the foreseeable future. When making personal trips abroad, please refrain from visiting any BNP Paribas office at your destination as a precautionary measure to protect the health of all employees at this time.

Going forward, please declare which countries you plan to visit while applying for your leave till further notice. For all leave that has already been approved, please let your manager and HR team know of any planned trips outside of India. We suggest that you ensure that contact details shared with HR previously are up to date so you can be reached if and as needed.

We encourage everyone to keep a close eye on the latest travel advice, both in your home location and destination, to help you make informed personal travel decisions. We thank you for cooperating with this request and we will update you as and when the situation changes.

ABOUT COVID-19

Everything you wanted to know about COVID-19

Updated March 11, 2020 10.00am

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people.

Common signs of COVID-19

Respiratory symptoms,
Fever,
Cough,
Shortness of breath, and
Breathing difficulties.

In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

Standard WHO recommendations to prevent infection spread:

Wash hands regularly
Cover mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing
Thoroughly cook meat and eggs
Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness, such as coughing and sneezing.

FAQs

World Health Organisation answers frequently asked questions on COVID-19

Updated March 11, 2020 10.00am

What is a coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19.

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell. Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.

How does COVID-19 spread?

People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. People can also catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets. This is why it is important to stay more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from a person who is sick. WHO is assessing ongoing research on the ways COVID-19 is spread and will continue to share Updated findings.

Can the virus that causes COVID-19 be transmitted through the air?

Studies to date suggest that the virus that causes COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through contact with respiratory droplets rather than through the air. See previous answer on “How does COVID-19 spread?”

Can CoVID-19 be caught from a person who has no symptoms?

The main way the disease spreads is through respiratory droplets expelled by someone who is coughing. The risk of catching COVID-19 from someone with no symptoms at all is very low. However, many people with COVID-19 experience only mild symptoms. This is particularly true at the early stages of the disease. It is therefore possible to catch COVID-19 from someone who has, for example, just a mild cough and does not feel ill. WHO is assessing ongoing research on the period of transmission of COVID-19 and will continue to share Updated findings.

Can I catch COVID-19 from the feces of someone with the disease?

The risk of catching COVID-19 from the feces of an infected person appears to be low. While initial investigations suggest the virus may be present in feces in some cases, spread through this route is not a main feature of the outbreak. WHO is assessing ongoing research on the ways COVID-19 is spread and will continue to share new findings. Because this is a risk, however, it is another reason to clean hands regularly, after using the bathroom and before eating.

What can I do to protect myself and prevent the spread of disease?

Protection measures for everyone

Stay aware of the latest information on the COVID-19 outbreak, available on the WHO website and through your national and local public health authority. Many countries around the world have seen cases of COVID-19 and several have seen outbreaks. Authorities in China and some other countries have succeeded in slowing or stopping their outbreaks. However, the situation is unpredictable so check regularly for the latest news.

You can reduce your chances of being infected or spreading COVID-19 by taking some simple precautions:

Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.

Why? Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands.
Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

Why? When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease.
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.

Why? Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick.
Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.
Why? Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.
Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority.

Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent spread of viruses and other infections.
Keep up to date on the latest COVID-19 hotspots (cities or local areas where COVID-19 is spreading widely). If possible, avoid traveling to places – especially if you are an older person or have diabetes, heart or lung disease.

Why? You have a higher chance of catching COVID-19 in one of these areas.

Protection measures for persons who are in or have recently visited (past 14 days) areas where COVID-19 is spreading

Follow the guidance outlined above (Protection measures for everyone)
Self-isolate by staying at home if you begin to feel unwell, even with mild symptoms such as headache, low grade fever (37.3 C or above) and slight runny nose, until you recover. If it is essential for you to have someone bring you supplies or to go out, e.g. to buy food, then wear a mask to avoid infecting other people. Why? Avoiding contact with others and visits to medical facilities will allow these facilities to operate more effectively and help protect you and others from possible COVID-19 and other viruses.
If you develop fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical advice promptly as this may be due to a respiratory infection or other serious condition. Call in advance and tell your provider of any recent travel or contact with travelers. Why? Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also help to prevent possible spread of COVID-19 and other viruses.

How likely am I to catch COVID-19?

The risk depends on where you are - and more specifically, whether there is a COVID-19 outbreak unfolding there.

For most people in most locations the risk of catching COVID-19 is still low. However, there are now places around the world (cities or areas) where the disease is spreading. For people living in, or visiting, these areas the risk of catching COVID-19 is higher. Governments and health authorities are taking vigorous action every time a new case of COVID-19 is identified. Be sure to comply with any local restrictions on travel, movement or large gatherings. Cooperating with disease control efforts will reduce your risk of catching or spreading COVID-19.

COVID-19 outbreaks can be contained and transmission stopped, as has been shown in China and some other countries. Unfortunately, new outbreaks can emerge rapidly. It’s important to be aware of the situation where you are or intend to go. WHO publishes daily updates on the COVID-19 situation worldwide.

Should I worry about COVID-19?

Illness due to COVID-19 infection is generally mild, especially for children and young adults. However, it can cause serious illness: about 1 in every 5 people who catch it need hospital care. It is therefore quite normal for people to worry about how the COVID-19 outbreak will affect them and their loved ones.

We can channel our concerns into actions to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our communities. First and foremost among these actions is regular and thorough hand-washing and good respiratory hygiene. Secondly, keep informed and follow the advice of the local health authorities including any restrictions put in place on travel, movement and gatherings.

Who is at risk of developing severe illness?

While we are still learning about how COVID-2019 affects people, older persons and persons with pre-existing medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, cancer or diabetes) appear to develop serious illness more often than others.

Are antibiotics effective in preventing or treating the COVID-19?

No. Antibiotics do not work against viruses, they only work on bacterial infections. COVID-19 is caused by a virus, so antibiotics do not work. Antibiotics should not be used as a means of prevention or treatment of COVID-19. They should only be used as directed by a physician to treat a bacterial infection.

Are there any medicines or therapies that can prevent or cure COVID-19?

While some western, traditional or home remedies may provide comfort and alleviate symptoms of COVID-19, there is no evidence that current medicine can prevent or cure the disease. WHO does not recommend self-medication with any medicines, including antibiotics, as a prevention or cure for COVID-19. However, there are several ongoing clinical trials that include both western and traditional medicines. WHO will continue to provide Updated information as soon as clinical findings are available.

Is there a vaccine, drug or treatment for COVID-19?

Not yet. To date, there is no vaccine and no specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat COVID-2019. However, those affected should receive care to relieve symptoms. People with serious illness should be hospitalized. Most patients recover thanks to supportive care.

Possible vaccines and some specific drug treatments are under investigation. They are being tested through clinical trials. WHO is coordinating efforts to develop vaccines and medicines to prevent and treat COVID-19.

The most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to frequently clean your hands, cover your cough with the bend of elbow or tissue, and maintain a distance of at least 1 meter (3 feet) from people who are coughing or sneezing.

Is COVID-19 the same as SARS?

No. The virus that causes COVID-19 and the one that caused the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003 are related to each other genetically, but the diseases they cause are quite different.

SARS was more deadly but much less infectious than COVID-19. There have been no outbreaks of SARS anywhere in the world since 2003.

Should I wear a mask to protect myself?

Only wear a mask if you are ill with COVID-19 symptoms (especially coughing) or looking after someone who may have COVID-19. Disposable face mask can only be used once. If you are not ill or looking after someone who is ill then you are wasting a mask. There is a world-wide shortage of masks, so WHO urges people to use masks wisely.

WHO advises rational use of medical masks to avoid unnecessary wastage of precious resources and mis-use of masks (see Advice on the use of masks).

The most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to frequently clean your hands, cover your cough with the bend of elbow or tissue and maintain a distance of at least 1 meter (3 feet) from people who are coughing or sneezing.

How to put on, use, take off and dispose of a mask?

Remember, a mask should only be used by health workers, care takers, and individuals with respiratory symptoms, such as fever and cough.
Before touching the mask, clean hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water
Take the mask and inspect it for tears or holes.
Orient which side is the top side (where the metal strip is).
Ensure the proper side of the mask faces outwards (the coloured side).
Place the mask to your face. Pinch the metal strip or stiff edge of the mask so it moulds to the shape of your nose.
Pull down the mask’s bottom so it covers your mouth and your chin.
After use, take off the mask; remove the elastic loops from behind the ears while keeping the mask away from your face and clothes, to avoid touching potentially contaminated surfaces of the mask.
Discard the mask in a closed bin immediately after use.
Perform hand hygiene after touching or discarding the mask – Use alcohol-based hand rub or, if visibly soiled, wash your hands with soap and water.

How long is the incubation period for COVID-19?

The “incubation period” means the time between catching the virus and beginning to have symptoms of the disease. Most estimates of the incubation period for COVID-19 range from 1-14 days, most commonly around five days. These estimates will be Updated as more data become available.

Can humans become infected with the COVID-19 from an animal source?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in animals. Occasionally, people get infected with these viruses which may then spread to other people. For example, SARS-CoV was associated with civet cats and MERS-CoV is transmitted by dromedary camels. Possible animal sources of COVID-19 have not yet been confirmed.

To protect yourself, such as when visiting live animal markets, avoid direct contact with animals and surfaces in contact with animals. Ensure good food safety practices at all times. Handle raw meat, milk or animal organs with care to avoid contamination of uncooked foods and avoid consuming raw or undercooked animal products.

Can I catch COVID-19 from my pet?

No. There is no evidence that companion animals or pets such as cats and dogs have been infected or could spread the virus that causes COVID-19.

How long does the virus survive on surfaces?

It is not certain how long the virus that causes COVID-19 survives on surfaces, but it seems to behave like other coronaviruses. Studies suggest that coronaviruses (including preliminary information on the COVID-19 virus) may persist on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days. This may vary under different conditions (e.g. type of surface, temperature or humidity of the environment).

If you think a surface may be infected, clean it with simple disinfectant to kill the virus and protect yourself and others. Clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose.

Is it safe to receive a package from any area where COVID-19 has been reported?

Yes. The likelihood of an infected person contaminating commercial goods is low and the risk of catching the virus that causes COVID-19 from a package that has been moved, travelled, and exposed to different conditions and temperature is also low.

Is there anything I should not do?

The following measures ARE NOT effective against COVID-2019 and can be harmful:

Smoking
Wearing multiple masks
Taking antibiotics (See question 10 "Are there any medicines of therapies that can prevent or cure COVID-19?")

In any case, if you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing seek medical care early to reduce the risk of developing a more severe infection and be sure to share your recent travel history with your health care provider.

Published by Team Internal Communications