CAPE TOWN - A recently released gazette outlines the operating procedures cinemas, theatres, libraries and museums must take as they reopen to the public.
As South Africa's national lockdown eases and advances level 3 lockdown continues to present the further reopening of businesses, however, under strict health and safety protocols.
A government gazette was released yesterday covering arts and culture activities such as museums, galleries and libraries are to follow the following protocols:
- Places or premises must limit the operating hours as per the amended standard operation procedure posted on the website of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.
- Places or premises must provide limited service and contact as far as possible between the staff and visitors so as to prevent any form of gathering.
- Places or premises must control the number of people visiting at any given time.
Library services must -
- be limited to borrowing and returning of library materials;
- ensure that the study area is restricted to 30% capacity of the library area;
- ensure that the computer area is restricted to 10% capacity of the
library area; and
- ensure that children and toy services remain closed;
Cinemas and theatres may reopen provided that -
- only 50 people or less, excluding staff members, are allowed in compliance with the health and safety protocols.
All places and premises mentioned above must adhere to the following health and safety protocols at all times:
- sufficient hand sanitisers must be made available at all times;
- social distancing between customers, visitors and staff wherever possible;
- wearing a cloth mask at all times, entering and inside the place or premises whenever possible;
- masks may only be removed when eating or drinking;
- contactless payments and pre -booking should be used where possible;
- the place or premises must be deep -cleaned before opening, and before and after use;
- equipment and tools must be cleaned regularly;
- common areas including toilets, door handles and shared equipment must be regularly cleaned and sanitised frequently;
- where possible, windows and doors should be kept open, to ensure adequate ventilation;
- adequate personal protection equipment must be provided to all employees;
- all people inside the place or premises must maintain 1.5 meter social distance between each other;
- steps must be taken to ensure that persons queuing inside or outside the premises are able to maintain a distance of 1.5 meters from each other;
- a dedicated area must be identified for isolation of an individual who exhibits symptoms of COVID 19 while inside the place or premises;
- a dedicated area must be identified for the isolation of an individual who exhibits symptoms of COVID -19 while inside the place or premises;
- every person entering the place premises must be subjected to temperature screening;
- a person with an elevated temperature may be refused access to the place or premises;
- a person above the age of 60 or a person with comorbidities is discouraged from visiting these places or premises;
- the department may deploy officials to monitor compliance with the above mentioned directions
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