COVID-19: Bars reopen in Kerala, dine-in allowed in restaurants with 50 per cent capacity

However, restaurants and bars will be allowed to admit only 50 per cent of their capacity and without air conditioners. Entry will only be allowed for fully vaccinated persons, while staff at the establishments will be permitted to work only if they have taken two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.

Thiruvananthapuram: Following a green light by the state government, bars in Kerala opened on Sunday, while restaurants were also allowed to begin dine-in services which were suspended since the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, restaurants and bars will be allowed to admit only 50 per cent of their capacity and without air conditioners. Entry will only be allowed for fully vaccinated persons, while staff at the establishments will be permitted to work only if they have taken two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.

While speaking to reporters, Kerala Bar Owners Association President, Sunil Kumar said: "The government`s decision to allow bars to function is good as we have been suffering from the closure of the bars. While the government had allowed the sale of liquor as parcel from the bar counters, allowing to sit and drink will help the sale of food and other items. After the long closure, the maintenance works have to be conducted in all these bars and hence we have incurred huge initial expenditure to make the bars functional."