TN GOVT. ISSUES NEW GUIDELINES FOR REOPENING HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS! DETAILS LISTED

The Centre announced guidelines for reopening hotels across the country on June 8 as a part of Unlock 1.0. The Tamil Nadu government too has issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for restaurants to operate in the state. So far, only delivery services were permitted in restaurants across the country, dine- in was banned. 

Some arrangements such as maintaining a distance of one square meter between tables, regular and periodic disinfection of touchpoints, usage of disposable menu cards, usage of paper instead of cloth napkins, having separate entry and exit points, opting open ventilation instead of air conditioning and having  mandatory thermal screening for customers and employees, are listed as a part of the guidelines. 

At any given point, only 50% of total capacity is to be allowed inside the dining area, waiting area for dining/take away and even inside elevators. CCTV Cameras have to be placed in the entrance of the restaurants.

All restaurant employees will be expected to be wearing masks and gloves at all times and are expected to sanitize their hands at least once in 30 minutes. In addition, vegetables, dal, rice etc. will have to be cleaned well with 50 parts per million (ppm) chlorine before being cooked. 

Staff who are more prone to the virus such as older employees, pregnant women or those with comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension have been advised to be very precautious and avoid being in the frontline. Anyone found to have fever at thermal screening point will have to refrain from working altogether. Biometric attendance is to be avoided. All employees should be advised to install the Arogya Setu App.

Online money transfer and using QR codes for receiving cashless transactions have been advised.

“The SOP also has a few pointers to deal with employee anxiety if someone should test for COVID-19 and to address the social stigma associated with the disease,” The News Minute cited in its report. 

Despite reopening dine- in facility, restaurants are advised to encourage take-out and home deliveries and ensure that the delivery personnel share protocol.