New Delhi (NVI): No offerings at places of worship and disposable menu cards at food courts- these are among some of the guidelines that Union Health Ministry has issued ahead of the reopening of religious places, malls and restaurants in several parts of the country from June 8.
“This is an exhaustive list that must be followed to help in containing the spread of Covid-19. We are working on a few more guidelines that should be out in the coming days,” said Lav Agarwal, joint secretary, Union health ministry, yesterday.
The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have laid down list of do’s and don’tswhich has some common guidelines – physical distancing of at least six feet; mandatory use of face covers; frequent hand washing with soaps (for at least 40-60 seconds); use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers; and covering mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing.
In addition to this, those above 65 years, children below 10 years, persons with underlying health conditions and pregnant women have been advised to stay at home. People have been advised to install and use the Aarogya Setu app.
Guidelines for religious places:
Touching statues, idols, holy books etc. are not allowed. Large gatherings will continue to remain prohibited. Shoes or footwear to be preferably taken off inside their own vehicle.
Recorded devotional music and songs recommended, while inviting choirs or singing groups is not advisable.
Physical offerings such as prasad distribution or sprinkling of holy water are not allowed. Community kitchens/langars will have to follow social distancing.
Guidelines for hotels are:
The guidelines for hotels and hospitality units include thermal screening at the entry, proper crowd management on hotel premises and parking lots, disinfection of car steering, door handles and keys, separate entry and exits for guests, staff and goods/supplies if possible, restriction on the number of people on elevators and markings for social distancing.
Additionally, details of the guest like travel history, medical condition etc, along with an identity card and a self-declaration form must be provided at the reception.
For room service, communication between guests and in-house staff should be through intercom, and room service should be provided while maintaining adequate social distance.
While disposable menus are recommended, the guidelines favoured the use of good quality disposable paper napkins in place of cloth napkins.
Guidelines for shopping malls:
Only asymptomatic people will be allowed, with a staggered entry system. Any shops, stalls, cafeteria etc. outside and within the premises will have to follow social distancing norms. Gaming arcades, children’s play areas, and cinema halls will remain shut.
In food courts, the management will have to ensure adequate crowd management. Staff and waiters should wear masks and hand gloves. Seating arrangements should ensure social distancing. Contactless mode of ordering and digital mode of payment will be encouraged.
Guidelines for restaurants:
All directives for restaurants in hotels and food courts will be applicable. Also, just 50 per cent of the seating capacity of a restaurant must be utilised for dine-in customers. Also, specific markings should be made to manage queues and ensure social distancing when patrons are waiting for a table.
