MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department of Tourism (DOT) have issued guidelines on health protocols for indoor and outdoor dining under the alert level system.
Under Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) 21-02 signed by Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez and Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, all restaurants including those located in DOT-accredited accommodation establishments, fast food businesses, canteens, food courts, food parks and other eateries providing dine-in services, regardless of size, would need to comply with health protocols during implementation of alert levels.
To prevent transmission of the coronavirus disease, the JMC provides that restaurants will need to have physical setup and administrative controls.
As part of physical setup controls, there should be tabletop clear dividers made of acrylic or any similar transparent material in face-to-face seating arrangements for indoor dining, while alternate or diagonal seating would have to be implemented for outdoor if clear dividers are not in place.
The DTI and DOT said restaurants should also ensure adequate air exchange in enclosed areas; have hand hygiene and sanitation facilities and supplies and maintain physical distancing by following the one meter on all sides requirement for chairs and queuing.
In addition, restaurants should have a screening area at point of entry where customers would have to provide a health declaration and undergo a non-contact temperature check to ensure those with temperature higher than 37.5 degrees centigrade or symptoms or exposure to COVID-19 cases would not be allowed to enter.
For indoor dine-in services, restaurants also have to make sure only those fully vaccinated with no COVID-19 symptoms upon presentation of a vaccination card would be allowed entry.
For restaurants offering buffet service, there is a need to make sure there are food servers; all food trays have covers and food is maintained at recommended safe temperatures.
The DTI and DOT said restaurants should also have signages on maintaining physical distancing of at least one meter; cough and sneeze etiquette; proper hand hygiene; proper use and disposal of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other reminders as well as promotion of the government’s vaccination program.
A proper facility should be provided for storage, collection, treatment and disposal of used PPE and other infectious waste.
Restaurants need to also ensure the music volume is kept to a minimum to discourage loud talking of customers, prohibit use of play areas or playground and disallow use of self-service stations.
In terms of administrative controls, the DTI and DOT said restaurants should designate a health and safety officer to be present in the establishment to ensure the minimum public health protocols are followed.
Restaurants need to ensure there is adequate PPE for all employees and the allowed on-site capacity by the government is complied with.
The JMC provides that customers from the same household would be allowed to dine together at one table provided they show proof of the same address.
Restaurants will need to remind customers that face masks may only be removed when they are eating or drinking.
To avoid physical contact between personnel and customers, restaurants should utilize digital modes of payment or provide small trays for cash payment.
All furniture, fixtures and equipment would have to be properly and regularly sanitized.
The DTI and DOT said restaurants would be monitored on their compliance with the protocols through a post-audit mechanism.
Inspections may also be conducted by other government agencies such as the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Health (DOH) and the local government unit (LGU) health office.
“Food establishments that fail to comply with the mandatory requirements will be given a warning and shall be endorsed to the LGU health office. After the warning, the food establishments found in the next visit as non-compliant with the health and safety standards may be temporarily closed down in accordance with LGU rules and regulations to correct their deficiencies,” the DTI and DOT said.
The agencies added the restaurants would only be allowed to reopen once the prescribed health and safety standards are complied with.
The JMC will take effect immediately upon publication in a newspaper of general circulation or the Official Gazette and upon filing with the University of the Philippines Office of the National Administrative Register.
Antigen test results
LGUs in Metro Manila have been asked by health authorities to collect results of COVID-19 antigen tests, an official said.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Metro Manila mayors agreed to improve their system of gathering COVID-19 antigen test results for the DOH, according to MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos.
He told radio dwIZ yesterday that mayors were fine-tuning the data gathering to truly reflect the numbers on the ground.
Abalos noted that COVID-19 testing laboratories have not submitted antigen results in the last two to three days, which could have caused the drop in the tally of new COVID-19 patients.
Antigen test results could be “quite substantial” in evaluating the scope of COVID-19 transmission, Abalos said.
He added the DOH feared the lack of antigen test results could result in a false downward trend of COVID-19 cases, which the MMDA chief said would put to waste all that they’ve worked for.
The DOH earlier declared some of the antigen test results were not included in its recent new tallies of COVID-19 cases after alleged “questionable” use of antigen tests by some LGUs for screening employees and before holding public events.
Meanwhile, minors aged 12 to 17 years who have pre-existing health conditions or comorbidities will be given priority for pediatric COVID-19 inoculation as part of Priority Group A3, the DOH said yesterday.?“For the initial run, we recommend that children with comorbidities will be vaccinated in selected sites with clearance from their pediatricians or trained doctors,” she noted. “These pertain to those with medical conditions such as heart, respiratory, and kidney and other ailments,” DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said. – Ghio Ong, Sheila Crisostomo