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A number of sectors are reopening during what government is calling ‘advanced alert level 3’.

Most notably for many members of the public, sit-down restaurants, fast food outlets, and coffee shops will be welcoming guests, alongside casinos, conference and meeting venues, self-drive excursions, lodges, bed and breakfasts, resorts, and guest houses.

We were handed some form of the above information earlier this month, but it wasn’t officially gazetted on the South African Government website until yesterday (June 29) by The Department of Tourism.

On to the safety measures you’ll have to adhere to in restaurants, as outlined in the directive, some of which are a little odd.

First, guidelines for service staff:

• Restaurants et al. have to keep a daily record of the full names, ID or passport numbers, residential address and cellphone numbers of all employees, alongside every delivery and the address to which delivery is made for contact tracing purposes.
• All employees will have to be screened using the usual methods (temperature check, health questions and so forth).
• The workplace has to be regularly and meticulously sanitised.
• PPE is compulsory.
• Employees have to maintain a distance of one and a half metres from customers at all times.

I’m keen to see how that one works out when the food arrives. They say “where applicable”, but as usual, it’s unclear what they mean in that regard.

We assume the food will be placed on the table, not left nearby for you to collect, but who knows?

• Clear pathways must be set out and employees have to move within them to ensure physical distancing.
• All surfaces should be sanitised after guests leave, salt and pepper shakers must be wiped down and restaurants should remove table cloths.
• Tables and seating must be rearranged to ensure maximum physical distancing.
• For deliveries, a contactless pick-up zone must be demarcated.
• No buffets.

Right, here’s what you’ll have to do when visiting a sit-down restaurant:

• When you arrive you will have to take a screening questionnaire. If you don’t comply, you’re not wearing a mask, or fail to meet the criteria for entry, you will be turned away.
• You have to wear a mask at all times except when eating and drinking.
• Sorry – you can’t have a glass of wine with your meal. The ‘consume at home’ alcohol rules, with no sales between Friday and Sunday, still apply.
• You will be sanitised before entering the premises.
• If you are required to pay at a pay station, you have to queue at least one and a half metres apart behind one another, or, and this one is weird, sideways.
• Your menu will be replaced with a ‘non-touch’ option or will be sanitised after each use.

Yes, wear a mask. You don’t want to end up like one of these folks.

As many have pointed out regarding how some of the regulations don’t quite add up, you still cannot visit with family or friends at their or your home, but you can go and see a movie (cinemas will be operating at 50 person capacity), something at the theatre (also 50 person capacity), or hang out at a restaurant in a room full of strangers.

OK, that’s restaurants covered. Let’s move onto other advanced alert level 3 regulations that were officially gazetted yesterday.

Government encourages that if you can work from home, continue to do so. However, another regulation states that you can perform any type of work outside the home, and travel to and from work and for work purposes. You can also take your car out and drive to areas for leisure activities.

Museums, galleries, libraries, and archives are also open.

Businesses and areas that will remain closed include gyms and fitness centres, nightclubs, unlicensed accommodation, conference facilities, bars and taverns, and public beaches and parks.

Find the full gazette here.

So, you can go to a casino, but you can’t take a walk on the beach. You can walk next to the beach, just not on it.

Sure, some of it might not add up, but that doesn’t mean we should shirk our personal responsibilities to minimise the risk of infection.

[source:gov.za]