Taiwan has announced a nationwide Level 3 COVID-19 alert level. With the heightened alert level come strict new rules for restaurants. And not all restaurants have been able to adapt to the new rules quickly enough.
Taiwan raised its COVID-19 alert level to Level 3 nationwide on May 19. This means strict new rules for restaurants. That means that restaurants that still allow indoor dining must install partitions between customers, enforce social distancing rules, and take down customers’ names and contact info for the sake of contact tracing.
The rules have proved tough on some establishments. At one restaurant, a staff member had to repeatedly remind customers waiting for takeout orders to keep their distance from one another.
This restaurant hasn’t started registering customer’s information either. The restaurant says that’s because it has an open kitchen. Customers can make their purchase and leave quickly.
At another restaurant, staff members have to patiently help customers learn how to register their personal information with a mobile app. The owner says this restaurant’s dining area is closed until further notice. It remains to be seen whether restaurant patrons will follow the rules or whether restaurants will become another COVID-19 breeding ground.