50 percent of business hit; Footfall to tourist places decline

Mysore/Mysuru: Fearing second wave of COVID-19 contagion, the State Government has issued a fresh set of guidelines exclusively for catering services and food handlers in hotels, restaurants, resorts and dhabas and has made RT-PCR test mandatory for the hotel staff once every fortnight.

Meanwhile, C. Narayanagowda, President of Mysuru Hotel Owners’ Association, told Star of Mysore this morning that the hotel industry has been hit badly in the last four days after the State Government announced strict measures for people coming from Kerala and Maharashtra. 

Nearly 50 percent of business in city hotels has been hit after new curbs. Hotels in and around prominent tourist destinations, including Palace and Mysuru Zoo are affected, he claimed. Since most of the tourists coming to Mysuru are from Kerala, the mandatory producing of negative RT-PCR report (not older than 72 hours) on Karnataka-Kerala border has prevented them from coming here. 

“This trend may continue for another two to three months till the vaccines are made available for everyone. But subjecting the staff members for RT-PCR test once in fortnight is difficult as it would take 48 hours to get report. Till then, those staff will have to sit idle,” he added.

The guidelines issued by Commissionerate, Health and Family Welfare Services, Bengaluru say that it is important that the food handlers take suitable measures to restrict any further transmission of the virus.

Apart from the existing safety protocol such as wearing face masks, maintaining social distancing and frequent washing hands, the guidelines has mandated strict following respiratory etiquettes which involves practice of covering one’s mouth and tissue / handkerchief / flexed elbow and disposing of used tissue properly. 

Those who prepare food should wear disposable gloves all times, even during serving food items. Inside the restaurant too, the face cover/masks should be worn. Staggering of patrons must be followed and additional patrons should be allowed to sit in a designated waiting area with physical distancing norms.  

Buffet service should also follow physical distancing norms among patrons and the number of people in the elevators shall be restricted. Effective and frequent sanitation of lavatories, drinking and hand washing stations/ areas must be undertaken and sanitisation of kitchen at regular intervals must be ensured, the guidelines stated.