Lagos issues guidelines for restaurant operators

The Lagos State Government has said operators of restaurants and eateries in the state must put in place measures to check the spread of COVID-19 in the state or risk heavy sanctions.

The government said temperature checks must be conducted on all customers and employees, adding that visitors must stand six feet apart. Employees of such restaurants, the state government said, must wear face coverings and gloves at all times.

The new set of guidelines, according to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Solomon Bonu, are to mitigate exposure to coronavirus. Bonu, in a statement on Wednesday, noted that due to the Ramadan fast, restaurants could open between 9am and 7pm.

He stressed that they were, however, restricted to take-away packs and orders. The special adviser assured that the activities of all eateries would be monitored by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

“He said the ministry has set up a task force to monitor, arrest and prosecute erring facilities for non-compliance, saying comprehensive guidelines will be issued and made available to the operators.

“While maintaining that hotels, bars and clubs remain shut until the state government decides otherwise, Bonu revealed that as part of the new guidelines, employees of restaurants and eateries are now required to wear face coverings and gloves at all times, adding that such coverings must be cleaned or replaced daily,” the statement said.