Enterprises in Beijing besides those in essential industries are advised to allow staff members to work from home via phone, internet or other facilities to avoid group working situations before Feb 10, according to a document released by the Beijing municipal government on Friday night.

The municipal government required companies involved in the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus spread, including medicine, protective supply, medical equipment production and transport as well as sales industries, and enterprises that ensure the operation of the city and guarantee residents' daily necessities, should arrange their employees to work normally before midnight Feb 9, the document said.

Other companies, for employers qualified to allow workers to complete tasks at home, should arrange employees to be on duty via flexible methods such as telephones and internet.

For some companies not qualified to allow employees to work from home, employers need to make changes to work schedules, using off-peak periods and flexible hours to avoid concentrated flow according to the municipal government's statement.

Company workers who have traveled to, visited or returned from Central China's Hubei province recently need to obey the local government's epidemic prevention and control measures as well.

Workers who left Hubei province and nearby areas or those who had close contact with people from Hubei province 14 days before arriving at the capital city need to be put under quarantine for medical observation, and strictly follow instructions released by the city's municipal government on epidemic prevention and control on Monday.