Internet cafes ‘a scapegoat for rise in Covid cases’
INTERNET cafes have been made a “scapegoat” for the recent rise in Covid-19 cases, the Internet Cafes’ Platform said in a statement on Wednesday.
Last week the Council of Ministers reversed a decision, taken on April 8, to allow internet cafes to reopen due to the “increasing number of [Covid-19] cases in our country”.
Internet cafe owners gathered outside the Health Ministry to protest against the decision.
Erden Mazhar, reading out the statement on behalf of the Internet Cafes’ Platform, said that internet cafes had been closed for 80 days and that it was “unfair” that they were “being made a scapegoat for the rise in coronavirus cases”.
Stating that they clearly explained to the authorities that internet cafes could be easily opened safely by taking the necessary precautions, Mr Mazhar said: “We thought we were in agreement [with the government] that our remaining closed was meaningless. But one day after we opened, we were told to close again for no reason, which takes money from our pockets.”
Mr Mazhar said that internet cafes are “safer than meeting rooms and workspaces” and that owners had taken “more precautions than many other businesses”.
He pointed out that no food or drinks are being served in internet cafes and that customers are “safely seated” in areas separated by “breathing panels”.
“Mask [wearing], [social] distancing, hygiene, registration upon entry and temperature checks are all carried out meticulously by us,” he continued.
“If we believe there is a possible infection or we have an employee who tests positive we would share the business’s name and number of cases with the public.
“Otherwise, allow us to open immediately without delay. From now on our businesses deserve to be opened at the same time as other sectors and under the same conditions.”