Paphos People

THE HEALTH PROTOCOL FOR DINING AREAS

Posted: 15 Mar 2021 08:20 AM PDT

Filenews 15 March 2021

With a view to the reopening of catering businesses from tomorrow, 16 March 2021, and with a view to their safe operation for the benefit of businesses, workers and citizens, the Health Services of the Ministry of Health, in cooperation with the Scientific Advisory Committee on The Crown, have issued a health protocol.

On the basis of the Health Protocol, the following shall be noted, inter alia, which shall enter into force from tomorrow:

Until 10.45 p.m. the dining areas (restaurants, taverns, cafes, pubs, snack bars and bars, cafes, dining areas within shopping centres, dining areas within hotels and tourist accommodations, canteens and/or sports groups, cultural groups, clubs, clubs, etc.) are allowed, in accordance with the applicable Decree and the following conditions:

The public is served only in the outdoor areas of the dining areas.

For the purposes of this Protocol 'outdoor space' means any space which is not internal or enclosed and has sufficient natural oxygenation. Adequate natural oxygenation exists in any area which:

is not covered by a roof, permanent or temporary, and
which is covered by a roof, has permanently open the three (3) sides.

For a safe restart, laboratory testing of an antigen test on all focus workers before the start and then weekly at the rate of the number of workers as defined under the relevant Decree is mandatory.
In each premises, a safety and health officer of the operation is appointed and a register is drawn up (SARS-CoV-2 incident manager, person in charge of filling out and maintaining a staff register for antigen tests, reference person during checks).
The 2 sq.m. per person for outdoor areas is set. For example, if a dining area has 400 m2 outdoors it could serve up to 200 people, as long as the location of the tables as described below allows for this number.
Tables must be positioned in such a way that they do not create overcrowding. Care must be taken to ensure that from chair to chair between different tables in all directions there is a distance of at least one metre (1 m).
The maximum number of persons allowed to be outdoors must be posted at the entrance of each premises. The responsibility for keeping the maximum number of persons lies with the person in charge of the operation. The maximum number is calculated on the basis of the area of the open space as mentioned above.
Mandatory service exclusively at table seats (seated only). Maximum number of people per table 8 people.
Existence, in a clear position at the entrances and where applied to the outlets of all premises, bottle of alcoholic solution (with infusion pump and base) for hand hygiene, for the use of customers.
Mandatory proper use of masks by all workers throughout the working period (excluding cooks). It is recommended to use as simple a surgical mask as possible. Staff not using a face mask is prohibited.
When receiving the order, the waiter should be at least one metre away from the table, and the serving should be done quickly in order to reduce the exposure time in close contact between the waiter and the customers.
Mandatory use of a mask on customers at all times as well as during movements within the area, except during active feeding.
It is recommended where possible to use a disposable menu/price list or posted in prominent places inside and outside the premises or available electronically. Otherwise the list should be thoroughly disinfected after each use (e.g. laminated, waterproof).
Children's playgrounds (indoor or outdoor) may not operate in dining areas until the adoption of an Ordinance allowing them to operate.
The operation and use of bars inside and outside the dining areas is limited solely to the preparation of food or beverages by employees and direct service from the bar is prohibited, with the exception of cafés which according to their function the public is directly served by the beverage preparation area. It is understood that the marking on the ground distance of two metres should be observed, use of a mask while waiting. The maximum number of people on the waiting/service line in the interior should not exceed 10 people.
The supply and use of hookah in dining areas is prohibited.
The buffet is prohibited (at this stage).
Any kind of music that raises patrons for dancing is forbidden. Only the low-intensity soft acoustic music (live or not) that accompanies the food is allowed. In case of live music the distance of the singer from the nearest regular is 3 meters.
Dancing is forbidden and regulars are forbidden to stand and rock around their table.
It is recommended to avoid the use of multi-use tablecloths.
After each customer withdrawal, the tables should be cleaned and disinfected.
Decrease to the extent possible of cash transactions and instead promote contactless transactions.

Personal hygiene instructions to workers/suppliers in dining areas:

People with symptoms of respiratory infection should not come to work and contact their personal doctor for further instructions.
In the event of a suspicious incident (employee/customer), the instructions in Annex 2 shall apply to the COVID-19 Workplace Suspicious Case Management Guide.
Suppliers will take personal protective measures, use a hand disinfection mask, distances and follow the instructions of the premises Security Officer.
A joint break between employees is prohibited. The work programme should be organised in such a way that each employee takes a break alone and preferably outdoors.
Avoid hand contact with the eyes, nose and mouth to reduce the risk of infection with the virus.
Avoid talking, drinking or inhaling-exhale deeply when handling food/open foods.
In case of coughing or sneezing, cover the nose and mouth with the sleeve at elbow height or with a tissue. The used tissue should be discarded immediately after use in the trash cans.
Regular washing of workers' hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Careful drying of hands with disposable paper hand towels which will be discarded in the trash cans. Hand washing should be necessary after contact with respiratory secretions and after use of the toilet.

Cleaning and disinfection instructions for cleaning staff within the premises:

Careful and frequent cleaning of sharing objects.
Particular care should be taken for the systematic, adequate and continuous natural ventilation of all spaces and with particular emphasis on the areas where the staff works (kitchen).
All surfaces floors, benches, coffers, sanitary areas (floors, basins, washbasins, etc.) must be kept clean and disinfected at regular intervals during the day.
In addition to the usual cleaning operations, frequent cleaning of commonly used smooth surfaces (e.g. knobs, handles, handrails or railings, lifts, switches, taps, etc.) with common cleaners, i.e. liquid soap and water, or 10% household bleach solution (1 part household bleach diluted in 10 parts water) or alcoholic antiseptic (70% alcohol content). Please note that cleaning operations should be carried out using gloves.
Particular attention should be paid to cleaning the objects and surfaces with which a person who has experienced symptoms of virus has come into contact.
The plastic bags of the bins, when filled, must be tightly tied and removed immediately. Gloves after use should be disposed of immediately in plastic bags of waste bins and no cleaning efforts should be made, e.g. washing disposable gloves and reusing them.
Supply of toilets with liquid soap, disposable hand towels (which will be disposed of in foot-operated bins near the washbasin), and antiseptic alcoholic solution (70% alcohol content).

It should be noted that for the safe restart it is mandatory to test all food workers before starting and then weekly at the rate corresponding to the number of workers as defined by the relevant Decree.

Responsibility for monitoring the implementation of the health protocol and the guidelines and measures in the dining areas was assumed by the Ministry of Tourism in cooperation with the Police.

CORONAVIRUS - RESTAURANTS, BARS PREPARE FOR TUESDAY REOPENING

Posted: 15 Mar 2021 07:24 AM PDT

Cyprus Mail 15 March 2021 - by Gina Agapiou

Only one customer is allowed per two square metres


Hospitality sector owners have called on the public to abide by the coronavirus measures at restaurants and bars as they started the preparations to reopen this Tuesday.

Following a three-month closure due to lockdown, the outdoor seating area of restaurants, cafés and bars are reopening on Tuesday, and owners have started the clean-up works and arranging their tables according to the social distancing protocols.

In his statements to the Cyprus News Agency, the head of the association of hospitality sector owners (Osika) Fytos Thrasyvoulou urged the members of the association and customers to comply with the regulations imposed by the health ministry to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

He added that since only the outdoor spaces are allowed to operate, some businesses that do not have an outside area will remain closed.

The fine for individuals who fail to abide by the protocols is set at €300 while for businesses the fines start at €500 with the maximum fine issued being €8,000, police said. The fines increase based on the number of square metres of the businesses and whether it is a first, second or third offence. Repeated violations may also be referred to the court, police added.

Customers must remain seated and wear their mask if they need to move around, Thrasyvoulou said. Staff will also be wearing a face covering unless they work in the kitchen.

Only one customer is allowed per two square metres, according to the health ministry’s protocol.

A percentage of employees will undergo a rapid test every week.

Some measures altered after restaurant rules deemed ‘silly’ and unworkable

The health ministry rolled back controversial requirements imposed on restaurants, bars and cafés on Tuesday after business owners expressed dismay and some measures were ridiculed by the public.
The measures – only introduced earlier in the day – mainly included having to wear masks between bites and a ban on music that would incite people to dance even at their own table – measures which were decried as illogical, unworkable and were later reversed by the ministry.
“There have been corrections to the measures, the philosophy of the protocols has not changed but after a long conversation with the health ministry we have jointly arrived at the correct conclusions,” General Secretary of the Pancyprian Association of Owners of Recreation Centres (Pasika) Fanos Leventis told the Cyprus Mail on Tuesday evening.
Masks at such businesses are now only required when entering, exiting and moving throughout the premises (such as leaving one’s table to go to the bathroom) – meaning that masks are no longer necessary while sitting at a table.

“This makes sense as people are going to restaurants with their friends and family with whom they are permitted to socialise with at their own homes without such protocols,” Leventis said.
The ban on music “that encourages customers to dance” was also scrapped but dancing itself remains forbidden and customers must still be seated at all times
“The other issue which led to a lot of confusion was that of music, with some saying that certain types of music would be prohibited but music is a personal choice,” Leventis said.
“The reasoning behind that measure was clear, they didn’t want people getting up and dancing and that still applies.”
Diners who will “stand and shake around the table” were to be considered in violation of the new measures, according to the protocol prior to its update.
Music was to be allowed only if kept at a low volume but this restriction was later scrapped.
The measure was widely seen as unenforceable.
A police officer would likely have had to decide as to whether a certain type of music may have enticed people to dance, or if it was deemed too loud.

Full story here:- https://cyprus-mail.com/2021/03/16/coronavirus-some-of-new-restaurant-rules-deemed-silly-and-unworkable/

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Dave
Moira And Dave

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