Lockdown 5.0 : How different sectors have Reopened from June 8th

As a part of Unlock 1.0, the Union Health Ministry has allowed shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, religious places and other hospitality services to resume operations from June 8, 2020. After being locked for more than 2 months because of the COVID-19 lockdown, visitors are welcomed while Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) being followed in lockdown 5 update.Here are some of the highlights of the SOP:· Physical distancing of at least 6 feet inside the shopping mall to be followed as far as feasible.· Use of face covers/masks to be made mandatory.· Spitting shall be strictly prohibited.· Installation & use of Aarogya Setu App shall be advised to all.· Entrance to have mandatory hand hygiene and thermal screening provisions.· Number of people in the elevators shall be restricted, duly maintaining social distancing norms.

Unprecedented times require unprecedented measures. Let’s see how various sectors have implemented the measures since yesterday along with appropriate precautions chalked out to provide safety of employees and customers.  
DLF Shopping malls: One of the largest shopping malls in India has decided to reopen on June,10. Social distancing guidelines, right from temperature checks at the entrance, three-step rollovers at escalators, permanent distance markers in the elevator, repeated sanitisation of commonplaces, including washrooms and more will be followed. A staff member will be able to see photographs taken through mechanical thermal scanners on a laptop along with their temperature. Only one person for every 75 sq. ft of the mall will be allowed. The cars will be surface sanitized before it enters the basement. DLF is also embracing technology to keep track of real-time foot traffic. Real-time notifications on safety and cleanliness, pre-booking mall visit all made available for customers on their Lukout app.

Vegas Mall: It has been reopened from yesterday i.e., June,8. Sanitisation and money transfer at stores have been made completely contact-less. Maximum man force has been appointed to keep all the staircases, escalators and washrooms constantly sanitized.  Stores have opened themselves to customers as per their square feet area.  The bigger stores are allowing 10 or more people at one point of time. The food courts have been made digital through buzzer systems so that consumers don’t have to go to different counters to place their orders.
Select CityWalk: One of the leading shopping centers of the country has reopened from June,8. Apart from social distancing markers at the entry point and a sensor-based sanitiser dispenser they have also equipped DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) approved sanitisation tunnel which sprays disinfectant on the whole body. They have installed machine-based thermal scanners & plexiglass at all checkout points. They are providing touch-free cash points and promoting smart payments as the preferred method.. Seating arrangements have been reduced to 50 per cent and tables have been placed 5-ft apart. Contact-less menus and digital invoices will be the trend. Distance markers at every QSR and kiosk have been done to ensure social distancing and plexiglass has been placed at QSR front areas with separate cash and serving windows.
Pacific Group: One of the best shopping malls in Delhi has been reopened from today. Other than following the guidelines of SOP, contact-less food ordering and paymentsapp at all their food courts is being used. They have made isolation rooms for customers and staff with symptoms and have installed partitioned sheets at the counters to ensure minimum contact. They have partnered with a hospital for training and support and a COVID-19 Task Force and Emergency Response Team for strict adherence and action.
Taj Group of Hotels: Taj hotels have raised their curtains up and are all set to welcome their guests back from June,8. They have implemented heightened hygiene and safety procedures for all guests, employees, partners and vendors, as they prepare to reopen in a phased manner. Restaurant menus have been made digital or are of single-use, with greater emphasis onwellness-oriented food sections for healthier meals and a greater level of immunity.Thermal screening of all employees and guests, intensive hospital levels sanitization of  hotels, contact-less processes are few other social distancing measures taken.
Oberoi Group: They have also started welcoming their guests from June,8. The Health and Safety standards are being supervised by dedicated Hygiene & Safety Managers of the hotel management team. The Oberoi Group has collaborated withBureau Veritas, a laboratory testing, inspection and certification services, to validate and review their program. Bureau Veritas is undertaking various virtual and in-person training sessions to supervise the implementation of the said standards. To further support the health and well-being of its guests, master chefs across the organization have researched and developed menus consisting of immunity building wellness dishes and drinks. Hotels are using technology to minimize contact and are additionally ensuring that their fleet of hotel owned and operated cars are thoroughly sanitised before and after each trip.
Tirupati Temple: The temple has opened its gates from June,8 and is welcoming its devotees by marking circles on the premises where people usually stand in queues, making the wearing of masks compulsory and capping the number of visitors per day. Thermal screening facility has been set up in Alipiri and Srivarimettu. The reopening would be done in phases. In the first, the trial run would be done by allowing employees only and in the next, people staying in local areas would be allowed to step inside.Other religious places like Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram have introduced a virtual queue system wherein people can reserve entry slots online or at the temple counter a day in advance.
The relaxation is certainly going to help ease enormous pressure that was put on the industry following the lockdown. Covid-19 will be a new normal for everybody and the visits will gradually increase starting from 5 per cent to 50 per cent in various hospitality services by the end of this year.