Business inspections ramped up

INSPECTIONS to ensure that businesses are adhering to the night-time curfew and other measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 have been stepped up.

The government has decided to increase inspections of the Communicable Diseases High Committee’s measures in all districts, according to a “Curfew Order” published by the Council of Ministers.

Taking into account the increasing number of cases, it was announced that during district police board meetings held under the coordination of the district governorships, Covid-19 inspections of bars, taverns, restaurants, cafes, coffee houses, barber/hairdresser salons and markets that are open in city centres and rural areas will be carried out throughout the day.

According to a statement issued by the Interior Ministry, basic measures such as complying with the social distancing rules in open workplaces, the obligation of personnel to wear masks, keeping records at the entrances, providing disinfectant, taking temperatures, arranging the distance of tables and chairs, and determining the number of customers according to the size of the spaces will be inspected.

Alongside intensive inspections to be carried out by the Interior Ministry’s district police boards, the statement stressed the importance of people “precisely following the rules” as part of the Covid-19 measures.

Meanwhile officials in Gazimağusa announced this week that it too had started increasing inspections following a meeting of the Gazimağusa District Police Board.

According to information provided by the District Governor’s Office, the decisions taken by the Gazimağusa District Police Board are as follows:

1-Teams that will consist of personnel from the District Governorate, municipality, municipal police and Gazimağusa Police Department, will conduct strict inspections two to three times a day, especially during the busiest hours of the day, at workplaces such as cafes, bars, taverns, restaurants at İsmet İnönü Bulvarı, the Walled City, Laguna Region and Mutluyaka.

2-In bars, restaurants, taverns, cafes and coffee houses: there will be compliance with the two-metre distancing rule, mandatory mask wearing by personnel, the taking of temperatures at the entrances, the paying of attention to the importance of hygiene when using hookahs, and the placing of disinfectant at entrances.

3- In barber shops and hairdressers: mask wearing will be mandatory, there will be two metres between seats, the number of customers will be determined according to the size of the place, customer records will be kept, disinfectant will be placed and temperatures taken at the entrances.

4-In markets: there will be no entry without masks, distancing rules will be followed, there will be security at the entrance of large markets, only a limited number of customers will be allowed to enter according to the size of the place, disinfectant will be placed and temperatures taken at the entrances.

5-Legal action, including the closure of workplaces, will be initiated against those who do not comply with the rules.