Meghalaya Issues Preventive Measures For Opening Of Restaurants, Bars, Cafes & Eateries, Details Inside

SOP ON PREVENTIVE MEASURES IN RESTAURANTS, BARS, CAFES AND EATERIES TO CONTAIN SPREAD OF COVID-19

I. Background

In pursuance to Government Order No.POL.75/2020/Pt.I/112 dated 27.08.2021 and SOP of the Tourism Department vide No.Tourism.22/2020/Pt./69 dated 28/08.2021, the following SOP is issued for restaurants, bars, cafes and eateries.

Restaurants, cafes and eateries must take suitable measures to restrict any further transmission of COVID-19 while providing restaurant services. This document outlines various public health measures that are to be followed to reduce the risk of COVID-19. These measures need to be observed by all (staff and patrons) in these places at all times.

Restaurants in containment zones shall remain closed. Only those outside containment zones will be allowed to open.

II. Generic Preventive Measures

1. Physical distancing of at least 6 feet to be followed as far as feasible.

2. Use of double masks or N-95 masks by all staff at all times. They must be worn properly to cover nose and mouth. Touching the front portion of mask/ face covers to

be avoided.

3. Practice frequent hand washing with soap (for at least 40-60 seconds) even when hands are not visibly dirty. Use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers (for at least 20

seconds) is to be carried out frequently by all staff and patrons.

4. Respiratory etiquette to be strictly followed. This involves strict practice of covering one's mouth and nose while coughing/sneezing with a tissue/handkerchief/flexed

elbow and disposing off used tissues properly.

5. Self-monitoring of health by all and reporting any illness at the earliest to state and district helpline.

6. Spitting shall be strictly prohibited.

All Restaurants shall ensure the following arrangements:-

III. Takeaway and Deliveries

1. Takeaway is to be encouraged, instead of dine-in. Food delivery personnel should leave the packet at the customer's door and avoid handing over the food packet directly to the customer.

2. Food Transportation: Required precautions while handling supplies, inventories and goods in the restaurant shall be ensured. Proper queue management and disinfection shall be followed.

a. Train the drivers, loaders and other staff about the COVID-19 infection symptoms and proper delivery/distribution.

b. Clean & sanitize delivery/transport vehicles regularly. Use vehicles for food deliveries/distribution.

c. Anyone displaying flu like symptoms should not be permitted for handling/transporting/delivering food.

d. Drivers, loaders and other staff to maintain high standards of personal hygiene.

e. Hand washing material and sanitizer bottle to be fixed in driver cabin.

f. Face covers to be worn at all times.

g. Avoid use of public toilets and crowded places during the breaks.

h. If a vehicle enters an area marked as a COVID-19 hotspot, then the vehicle shall be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before use.

i. Maintain relevant records.

3. The staff for home delivery shall be screened thermally by the restaurant authorities prior to allowing home deliveries.

IV. Dine-in

1. Entrance to have mandatory hand hygiene (sanitizer dispenser)and thermal screening provisions.

2. Only asymptomatic staff and patrons shall be allowed. Persons with cough, fever, etc. should not be allowed inside the premises.

3. All staff and patrons to be allowed entry only if using face cover/masks. The face cover/masks and gloves have to be worn as required inside the restaurant.

4. Posters/standees/AV media on preventive measures about COVID-19 and vaccination is to be displayed prominently. The material can be obtained from the District Medical and Health Officer, Government of Meghalaya.

5. As per government order and SOP, patrons and tourists entering the restaurant for dine-in can access the restaurants, cafes and bars if they are either fully vaccinated or vaccinated with a single dose. Management to accordingly regulate entry.

6. Individuals under 18 who are accompanied by adult family members will be allowed to enter restaurants and cafes if other adult members in the family are vaccinated.

7. Seating arrangement is to be made in such a way that adequate social distancing is maintained. Restaurants will ensure that dine-in is permitted for only 50% of the total capacity at present.

8. Adequate manpower shall be deployed by restaurant management for ensuring social distancing norms.

9. All employees who are at higher risk, i.e., older employees, pregnant employees and employees who have underlying medical conditions, etc. are to take extra precautions. They should preferably not be exposed to any front-line work requiring direct contact with the public. Restaurant management to facilitate work from home wherever feasible.

10. Proper crowd management in the parking lots and outside the premises-duly following social distancing norms shall be ensured.

11. Additional patrons to be seated in a designated waiting area with norms of social distancing.

12. Valet parking, if available, shall be operational with operating staff wearing face covers/masks and gloves as appropriate. A proper disinfection of steering, door handles, keys etc of the vehicles should be taken up.

13. Specific markings may be made with sufficient distance to manage the queue and ensure social distancing in the premises.

14. Preferably separate entry and exits for patrons, staff and goods/supplies shall be organized.

15. Maintaining physical distancing of a minimum of 6 feet, when queuing up for entry and inside the restaurant as far as feasible.

16. Guest Service Standards

i. Guests are encouraged to make prior reservations before going to the restaurant to avoid crowding. Guests to be seated in a designated waiting area with norms of social distancing in case of waiting.

ii. Hand sanitizer in contactless dispensers to be placed at the entrance and other areas such as washrooms & to remind the guests before entering and while leaving to sanitize their hands.

iii. Complete details of number of persons is to be taken in advance and seating to be accordingly arranged by maintaining the social distancing norms.

iv. Guests to be requested to carry their own Face Mask, Hand Gloves and Hand Sanitizer, etc.

v. Guests to be requested to use safe and sanitized vehicles for travel.

17.Arrival of Guests in Restaurant.

a. All guests are screened for any symptoms before entering the premises.

b. Guests with body temperature of 98.60 F or more should be politely asked to return or directed to a designated medical facility, which would be a precondition at the time of accepting booking.

c. The gate is to be opened by attendant.

d. Guests are directed to sanitize the hands before proceeding for seating area. To place hand sanitizers at the entrance and other areas such as washrooms.

e. Markings on the floor to be done to maintain social distance, wherever required.

f. Tables for families or a group to be allocated strategically to ensure no mixing with other guests/areas.

18. Dining

a. The entire service of the guests is to be done by service staff donning hand gloves and face masks, or using hand sanitizers very frequently.

b. Disposable menus to be used to reduce the chances of transference of virus. Instead of cloth napkins, use of good quality disposable paper napkins to be encouraged.

c. Guest service areas shall be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before and after every shift. The furniture and fixtures of the restaurant like tables, chairs, workstations, buffet tables, linen etc to be thoroughly cleaned with disinfectants on daily basis.

d. Buffet service to be avoided as far as possible. In case of buffet trained service staffs to serve the food from buffet.

e. Pre-plated dishes to be encouraged in the menu wherever possible.

f. Name badges of serving staff to be printed in larger fonts for identification from a farther distance.

g. The crockery, cutlery, service-ware etc be washed with hotwater and food grade/approved disinfectants.

h. The service equipment to be segregated and stored in sanitized cupboards.

i. Use different types of warmers to keep food and crockery on warm temperature.

j. The soiled dishes to be immediately taken to dishwashing area and not left onside boards. The leftover food be discarded in the designated bins with lids. The garbage should be disposed of on daily basis.

k. Cashiers to disinfect hands after every settlement thru case or cards.

19.Number of people in the elevators shall be restricted, duly maintaining social distancing norms.

20. Use of escalators with one person on alternative steps may be encouraged.

21. For air-conditioning/ventilation, the guidelines of CPWD shall be followed which inter alia emphasizes that the temperature setting of all air conditioning devices should be in the range of 24-30 degrees centigrade, relative humidity should be in the range of 40-70%, intake of fresh air should be as much as possible and cross ventilation should be adequate.

22. Large gathering/congregations continue to remain prohibited.

23.Effective and frequent sanitization within the premises shall be maintained with particular focus on lavatories, drinking and hand washing stations/areas.

24.Cleaning and regular disinfection(using 1% sodium hypochlorite) of frequently touched surfaces (door knobs, elevator buttons, hand rails, benches, washroom fixtures, etc) to be made mandatory in all guest service area and common areas.

25. Proper disposal of face covers/masks/gloves left over by patrons and/or staff should be ensured.

26. Deep cleaning of all washrooms shall be ensured at regular intervals.

27. Adequate crowd and queue management to be ensured to ensure social distancing norms.

28.Staff/waiters should wear mask and hand gloves and take other required precautionary measures.

29. Contactless mode of ordering and digital mode of payment (using e-wallets) to be encouraged.

30. Tables to be sanitized each time customer leaves.

31.The kitchen should follow the following norms.

a. Operational kitchens must be sanitized at regular intervals.

b. Kitchens to plan social distancing zones n kitchen: 1. Range Critical 2. NonRange Critical 3. Pre-preparations area.

c. Work tables to be realigned in such a manner that staff do not face each other and also maintain social distance.

d. Staff to wear face masks, chef caps/net caps, face shield.

e. Limit the number of staff to the minimum required; staff can be organized into teams to reduce interactions between teams.

f. All staff should wear disposable masks, gloves, hair nets and all other safety gear.

g. Ensure proper cleaning of vegetables, meats and all other materials that are required in the kitchens; use approved sanitizing agents to disinfect.

h. Ensure all tools gets sanitized after each use.

i. It would be useful to use an Autoclave machine for all cooking equipment, ladles etc.

j. No ready-to-eat food items shall be left open and shall be kept covered.

k. Proper training for food employees with new or altered duties and that they apply the training according to established procedures.

l. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold by storing in appropriate transport vessels.

m. Keep foods separated to avoid cross contamination, e.g. keeping raw food separated from cooked and ready to eat foods.

n. Ensure that any wrapping and packaging used for food transport is done so that contamination of the food is prevented.

32. In case of a suspect or confirmed case in the premises:

a. Place the ill person in a room or area where they are isolated from others and call the nearest health facility/ War Room to report symptoms and facilitate care and early testing..

b. A risk assessment will be undertaken by the designated public health authority (district RRT/treating physician) and accordingly further action be initiated regarding management of case, his/her contacts and need for disinfection.

The Office of the Deputy Commisioner (Excise), East Khasi Hills District, Shillong, has issued the following order.

Order

In partial modification to this Office Order No.K/EX/11/Pt-ll/83-03/77. dated 1he 29th of May.2021 and Order No.K/EX/11/Pt-11/83-03/100. dated the 29th of August, 2021 the following arrangements shall come into force w.e.f. 1st of September, 2021 and until further orders within the entire East Khasi Hills District.

• All IMFL 'OFF' RETAIL OUTLETS shall operate for 5 (five) days weekly from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on predetermined days as per Annexure - A.

• All HDL LICENSEES shall operate from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM and from Monday to Saturday weekly.

• All IMFL 'ON' RETAIL OUTLETS which have obtained prior permission from this office shall operate from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM daily.

• All BONDED WAREHOUSES shall operate from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM and from Monday to Saturday weekly.

• All CANTEENS shall operate from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and from Monday to Saturday weekly.

• All OUTSTILLS shall operate from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and from Monday to Saturday.