Abu Dhabi is gearing towards reopening its restaurants, cafes and coffee shops.
In line with the directives of the UAE's National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, along with the Department of Economic Developement in Abu Dhabi, have issued a circular detailing the guidelines for the reopening of eateries, which take into account precautions against the spread of COVID-19.
What are the directives the eateries need to follow?
- Hand sanitisers must be kept at entrances.
- Capacity of restaurants to be 40 per cent.
- Workers' temperatures must be regularly checked and before reopening, staff must be checked for COVID-19 status.
- People under the ages of 12 and those above 60 are not to be allowed entry.
- A maximum of four people are to be allowed per table.
- Tables must be kept at least 2.5-metres apart.
- Staff should wear facemasks and gloves at all times while on duty.
- All surfaces must be cleaned and sanitised daily; chairs and tables must be disinfected after each use.
- Working hours of these establishments must be consistent with National Sterilisation Programme timings.
What's NOT allowed?
- Buffets
- Open food displays
- Food samples
- Shared canapés
- Shisha
- Reusable cutlery (multi-use cultery only permitted in establishments with thermal dishwashers that ensure high-temperature sterilisation).
Customers' duties
Customers are required to wear facemasks when entering and exiting the eatery.
The move to reopen restaurants is another step towards the restoration of normal life after a few harsh months of restictions caused by the global coronavirus pandemic that has seen at least eight million infections to date.
On Tuesday, the UAE announced another positive development: From June 23, flights will resume for both residents and citizens of the country.
Some precautionary restrictions of course remain in place to ensure a safe return to normality. For instance, movement curbs within the emirate of Abu Dhabi, which were enforced on June 2, remain in play for another week.
