President Adama Barrow has lifted the closure of hotels, bars, restaurants and gyms in the country, according to the government spokesperson.
“Effective Thursday, 15th October 2020, His Excellency President Adama Barrow is pleased to declare public places such as hotels, motels, lodges, bars, restaurants, video clubs, museums, public swimming pools and gymnasia throughout The Gambia, open,” government spokesperson Ebrima Sankareh said in a statement on Wednesday.
According to the government spokesperson, operators of the various businesses must ensure an employee who displays any symptom of COVID-19 or came into close contact with a person infected with COVID-19 is excused from work.
Sankareh said: “Employees wash their hands with soap and water before, during, and after preparing food or after touching waste; materials used by a person are cleaned and disinfected before reuse another person; employees use gloves when serving food or handling trash; hand cleansing hygiene materials are available at all times for use by employees and customers at the entrance; the maximum number or people allowed within the premises is limited to no more than two-third of the usual number, and restaurant owners and managers shall ensure that utensils and cutleries are disinfected and heated after every use.”
The government spokesperson said the police are empowered to inspect premises without prior notice at any given time.
“Persons found at particular premises during inspection shall not obstruct a Police Officer in the performance of his or her duties,” Sankareh said.
He added: “A person who breaches a provision of this Public Health (Reopening and Regulation of Schools and Public Places) Orders, 2020, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of Two Thousand Dalasi (D2000) or imprisonment for three (3) months or both.”
