The government has relaxed Covid -19 rules by allowing restaurants and eateries to re open but with strict rules.
The National Emergency Response Committee (NERC) on Coronavirus has approved guidelines for partial reopening of eateries and restaurants.
Giving the guidelines and update of coronavirus in the country and the response measures, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said that all restaurants shall only operate between 05.00 a.m. and 04.00 p.m.
Restaurants however must limit the number of diners or customers to 4 people for every 10 square metres space while the tables in the dining area must be spaced 1.5 metres apart in the dining areas while seat customer groups at least 1.5 metres apart.
“Maintaining distance in the spacing of chairs and this should not be less than a metre and guests must face each other from a distance of at least one metre”, the CS said.
Kagwe further said that AIcohol shall only be sold with a meal in the restaurant and only be served to customers waiting to be served a meal, during the visits or 30 minutes after the meal has ended.
“This is not a licence to start opening bars and alcohol sale across the country. Anybody walking into a restaurant should walk in with a mask, sanitize theirs hands and if your staff have not been tested you cannot open a restaurant,” he stated.
Restaurants can now therefore temporarily discontinue self-service of ready-to-eat foods such as salad bars or buffets and customers can now have their meals delivered individually to the dining table by appointed restaurant stewards.
“If buffet meals are served the service shall be by only one person appointed by the restaurant.”, the CS said saying the restaurants must ensure quality and safety of food, rinse and sanitize food contact surfaces, disinfect surfaces, floors and counters.
All restaurants have also been asked to Install adequate portable running water and accessible washing basins for hand washing purposes, install alcohol based-hand sanitizers at the entrance and exit points.
“Restaurants and eateries will also have to install a contact free thermometer and ensure that every person entering the premises has his/her body temperature taken”, Kagwe said adding that any staff member or reveler with temperature above 37.5 degrees shall not be allowed entry into the premises, and the premises shall immediately notify the Ministry of Health through the toll free no 719 for guidance.
Food preparation area the CS said must also ensure physical distancing of 1 metre – 3 feet
Today, Kagwe said that the country continues to register to register tremendous progress in terms of recoveries and in the last 24 hours, an additional eight COVID-19 patients have been discharged from hospital, bringing to total number of recoveries to 114.
“In this same period, however, we have confirmed eight (8) new cases of coronavirus in the country bringing to total of 363. Four of these are from Mombasa and three from Nairobi, one from Kwale and one from Tanga”, he said.
All the eight , the CS confirmed are Kenyans, Five were picked by our surveillance team, while three are from the mandatory quarantine facilities all aged between 13 and 65 years.
Kagwe added that the two Nairobi cases are from Kibra and the quarantine facility at Kenyatta University. The Kwale case is from Tangä at Lunga Lunga border while the four at Mombasa are from Mvita.
By Wangari Ndirangu
State Reopens Restaurants After Covid 19 Shutdown
