Cafes and
restaurants with outdoor seating have been allowed to reopen with the setting
in of summer. Many Romanians, especially the youth, have met the decision with
enthusiasm. To prevent the pandemic from spreading, clients will be admitted
only after triage, while people displaying visible symptoms associated with
respiratory infections will be denied access. The owners will also have to make
sure hand sanitizers and certified biocides are available for client use. There
will be one-way corridors across the outdoor space, so that contact is kept at
a minimum. Additionally menus, salt shakers, oil and vinegar pitchers and other
objects cannot be reused and will be disinfected. Owners are urged to use
throwaway menus only. Besides, the serving personnel will wear face masks and
gloves.
Food consumption will be for
seated clients only, to limit the circulation of clients inside the open-air
space, with a maximum number of 4 people seated at a distance of 1.5 meters of
each other at the table, with the exception of family members sharing the same
home. Tables will be placed at least 2 meters apart, while clients will have to
book a table ahead of time to avoid overcrowding. The personnel of restaurants
and cafes will also have to log in the names of all clients with a reservation,
in the event an epidemiological inquiry is needed. All tables will be sanitized
after each client or group of clients leaves, using only certified biocides. The
authorities will reassess the evolution of the pandemic in two weeks’ time and,
depending on the results, they will further ease lockdown restrictions.
In
other COVID-related news, the hospitality industry in Romania has had massive
losses this season, estimated to nearly €1 billion, says Călin Ile, the president of the Romanian
Hospitality Industry Federation. Some 6 million bookings were lost over
March-May, tantamount to €240 million in revenues. Călin Ile wants the state to introduce confidence-inspiring measures
to support the tourism sector. In turn, Dragoş Anastasiu, the president of the Romanian-German Chamber of
Commerce, claims more flexible measures
are needed. Tourism advisor Traian Bădulescu says it’s time Romania built a favorable image
abroad to attract foreign torusists. Everything is ok right now, we are waiting
on foreign tourist arrivals, Bădulescu went on to say.
(Translated by V. Palcu)