Hotels bank on temperature checks, sanitizers
● Stating that its guests and colleagues are well with no symptoms of Covid-19, EIH that runs the hotels and resorts under the Oberoi and Trident brands said it has implemented a guest check-in declaration form at all hotels.
New Delhi, March 12: Hospitality chains across India, such as domestic majors Indian Hotels Company and EIH and global firms like Hyatt, are taking a slew of measures, including checking temperature of guests and staff, and undertaking additional hygiene procedures to control the spread of Covid-19.
“In light of the current situation, we have implemented additional precautionary hygiene measures across our hotels based on the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare advisory and guidelines for prevention and transmission,” an IHCL spokesperson said in a statement.
This includes training associates as per the protocol prescribed by the Government of India, sanitisation of all areas, increased access to alcohol-based hand sanitizers at prominent locations and body temperature checks for everyone visiting our premises using non-invasive laser thermometers, it added.
“As mandated, we are notifying local authorities on travellers coming from affected countries,” IHCL said.
Stating that its guests and colleagues are well with no symptoms of Covid-19, EIH that runs the hotels and resorts under the Oberoi and Trident brands said it has implemented a guest check-in declaration form at all hotels. This form identifies guests who have travelled to any of the high-risk countries in the past 14 days or have symptoms associated to the virus.
“The temperature of each guest is being checked and recorded at the time of check-in. If any of the parameters are not normal, the guest is being requested for a medical examination before completing check-in formalities,” EIH said in a statement.
For hotels located in remote locations or with little to no non-resident business, entry to the hotel is being restricted to hotel guests, it added. “In our hotels located in key cities across the country, non-resident guests are being requested for their temperature readings before entry,” the statement said.
Thermal imaging cameras are being procured to monitor the temperatures of each person entering the hotel premises. This should be in place in the next few days in hotels located in key cities across the country, it added.
Corporate office colleagues have all been advised to work from home to the extent possible. The colleagues have also been requested to stay at home under self-isolation for a period of 14 days if they show signs of any of the symptoms or have come in contact with someone from a high-risk country, the statement said.
At Trident Udaipur, 83 employees are undergoing self-isolation for a period of 14 days as a precautionary measure, it added. Emphasising that it is taking all measures to safety and well-being of its guests and employees, a Hyatt spokesperson said, “We have introduced comprehensive COVID-19 guidance across Hyatt hotels globally, detailing how to protect against transmission of the virus including implementing hand sanitizer stations and frequent cleaning of high-touch areas, and procedures in case there is a suspected or confirmed case among our guests or colleagues.”
In addition, cross-functional, global response teams, including infectious diseases and occupational health experts, provide guidance to our hotels and help address specific situations, if needed, the statement added.
In similar vein, Embassy Group Hospitality Business Head Sartaj Singh said that both "our hospitality partners Hilton and Four Seasons are world leaders of stature. They are bringing in global best practices to ensure that the well being of our guests, our visitors and our staff is protected and we are suitably geared to meet any eventuality arising from the Covid-19 crisis.”