Covid 19 - What you need to know - Approaches to Reopening

We have recently published articles regarding roadmaps to the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in Scotland and Wales; We thought you may like to know of how some other Jurisdiction are being reported as approaching the issue.

Iowa

Iowa, the US state, recently announced some of its coronavirus mitigation restrictions, going so far as to allow restaurants, malls and churches to reopen in the majority of its counties. The relaxations will allow restaurants, fitness and shopping centres, libraries, and other retail businesses to reopen with public health measures in place. The new measures will come into force from 11:50pm on Friday 1st May (for two weeks).

These measures will include social distancing measures, with businesses instructed they can only operate at 50% of their normal operating capacity. Further, a restaurant will not be allowed to host more than six diners at a single table, and there needs to be 6 feet of distance between tables.

Measures to allow bars to reopen (where the primary business is the serving of alcohol rather than the sale of food), are yet to be announced, although they can still provide takeout and pick-up services.

Racetracks can reopen without spectators, and sporting, entertainment, recreational and other gatherings with more than 10 people are still not permitted. However, exempt from the 10-person limit on gatherings are churches and other spiritual venues, which are allowed to operate provided they "implement reasonable measures" to ensure social distancing, and increase their hygiene practices. Wedding receptions with more than 10 people are also allowed.

Texas

The Governor of US state Texas, Greg Abbott, has also announced new measures to take effect from Friday (1st May). The measures include retail shops, restaurants, cinemas and shopping centres to reopen.

Abbott also said a second wave of openings and looser restrictions that will include barbershops, hair salons, bars and gyms could go into effect as early as May 18, as long as the state sees "two weeks of data to confirm no flare-up of COVID-19."

Details of how each sector will open are:

Restaurants - Capacity is limited to 25%, save for rural counties with less than five confirmed cases of the new coronavirus where restaurants can serve up to 50% of their regular capacity.

Bars are to remain closed, even if they offer food.

Only six people will be allowed at one table and customers must be sat at least 6 feet apart.

Retail, including shopping centres - Can reopen but must keep capacity limited to 25%. Again, rural counties with less than five confirmed cases of the new coronavirus capacity can rise to 50%.

Areas including food courts, play areas and interactive displays must remain closed.

Retailers can also offer customers in-store pick up or get items delivered by mail or to their doorstep.

Germany

Germany has already allowed smaller stores to re-open (floor space up to 800 square metres), along with car and bicycle dealers and bookstores, provided they adhere to strict distancing and hygiene rules.

However coronavirus infection rate has edged up from earlier this month. Which may give other Authorities pause for thought.

On Tuesday, the education ministers of Germany’s 16 federal states agreed that schools across the country would slowly reopen classes for all grades until the summer holidays, although pupils would have to work and learn in smaller groups.

There has been no mention to date of pubs reopening however large gatherings are unlikely to be permitted until a vaccine is ready. Bavaria has already announced the cancellation of Oktoberfest over fears of coronavirus spread.

Lithuania

Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, has given permission to open up its streets and squares so cafés and restaurants can reopen while complying with the Country's social distancing rules.  

The outdoor seating scheme has been introduced to restart the city’s hospitality industry.  Face masks are mandatory in public areas and tables must be a minimum if 2 metres apart.

Last Thursday (23rd April), the government announced shops and malls will be allowed to resume operations, and businesses such as hairdressers, museums, libraries, and golf courses will be allowed to reopen starting on Monday (27th April); while maintaining social distancing.  One of the required measures will restrict the number of customers to one person per 10  square metres. 

UK

The lifting of restrictions is a matter for the devolved administrations. Although unity is espoused from all corners of the Country they have also added the caveat that the final decision on how fast and how far relaxations go.

Looking around the world, it appears that drinking establishments are not amongst the descriptions of premises to re-open although restaurants have featured in several jurisdictions.

Reports in the press that customers may be limited to 3 drinks seem impractical from an operational as well as an enforcement point of view.

In an interview with the Guardian Lancaster University economist and government advisor, Eyal Winter expressed concerns about potential crowding in pubs:

“People are starving for pubs. They are an important part of British culture,”

Winter promoted a clear programme for reopening to be set out by the government, at the appropriate time:

“You need to make the rules crystal clear, and to explain to the public the rationale behind each one of them.”

We await firm indications from the government, media reports this morning are that the PM will begin to sketch out what a relaxation may look like in this evening's daily briefing (without committing to a timetable).

We will keep you updated.