Food & Beverage units to work at 80% in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi’s Department of Economic Development (ADDED) has allowed owners and managers of restaurants, coffee shops, cafeterias, and fast food outlets operating inside or outside shopping malls, to raise their customer capacity to 80 percent.

Owners of these establishments are expected to fully adhere to the precautionary measures issued by the Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Committee to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The department has directed owners of restaurants and cafeterias to take necessary precautions to allow only employees with low health risks to ensure health and safety in the workplace and exclude staffs that have higher health risks to come to the workplace. These units are expected to conduct a COVID-19 test for employees every two weeks through the DPI laser technology in centers that will be established in this regard.

The department has also instructed to carry out body temperature checks of all entrants to the facility including employees and workers every two hours during the day using a digital infrared temperature inspection device and call on the concerned personnel to prevent the entry of any person showing symptoms of high temperature.

The services of the buffet, food counters and displayed food sections will remain suspended to exclude hotel restaurants who provide a buffet waiter according to the instructions of the food safety department.

Employees and workers at these facilities must put on face masks and gloves at all times during their shifts. Owners should install floor stickers to mark social distancing of at least two meters between customers.

Owners are expected to inform the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi in case of any high-temperature symptoms shown on employees or workers, as well as comply with rules of using only dishes, glasses, cups, and cutleries that are thermally sterilized or follow single used items. It also reminded them of the need to frequently sterilize surfaces that are often touched by people to further ensure no spread of the virus.