Kenya is set to reopen restaurants that had been closed down in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19.
In his daily update on the pandemic in the country on Monday, the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Mutahi Kagwe said restaurants that will be cleared to reopen will operate between 5 am and 4 pm and must limit the number of diners to four for every 10 square metres space.
“This is not a licence to start alcohol sales, we have not opened bars,” cautioned Kagwe.
The Cabinet Secretary added that the staff preparing food in the restaurants will have to undergo COVID-19 tests and that sanitizing, handwashing and mask wearing will be compulsory.
In addition, restaurants and eateries will have to install sufficient portable running water and accessible washing basins for handwashing purposes and to install alcohol-based hand-sanitisers at entrance and exit points.
Contact free thermometers to ensure that every person entering the premises has his or her body temperature taken will also have to be installed in every restaurant and eatery.
Any staff member or diner with a temperature above 37.5 degree would not be allowed entry into the premises, and the premises would have to immediately notify the ministry of health through toll free number 719 for guidance.
Additionally, tables in the dining areas will have be set 1.5 metres apart, the distance between the back of one chair to another would have to be one metre, self-service of ready to eat foods will not be allowed and customers will have to their meals delivered individually to the dining table by appointed restaurant stewards.
Alcohol will only be sold with a meal in the restaurant and served to customers waiting to be served a meal, during the meal, or 30 minutes after the meal has ended.
On the day the update was made, Kenya had confirmed eight new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number to 363.
