Closed for more than 4 months, the indecision remains until today on the opening date of restaurants in France.
Gradual reopening, sanitary conditions, QR codes, reinforced protocol… several works are in progress to resume the activity of restaurateurs.
Reopening soon?
On Friday March 5, 2021, a virtual meeting took place between representatives of the catering and hotel industry (GNI, UMIH, GNC, SNRTC) and the government in order to develop proposals to establish a sanitary protocol that will be in force in restaurants. Following this meeting, the president of the grouping of hotel chains Jean-Virgile Crance, announced that " establishments should be able to reopen by May 15, 2021 ″.
According to him, this decision was taken taking into account advances in vaccination. He adds that "the majority of vulnerable people would be vaccinated between April 15 and May 15".
QR codes, opening protocol and conditions to follow
Hoping for an early reopening, the representatives of the catering have proposed to the government a return to the sanitary protocol in force applied in November, to know :
-Minimum distance of one meter from tables and chairs.
-A maximum of 6 guests per table.
-The compulsory wearing of the mask.
All the more so, the sector is considering the establishment of QR codes to ensure the safe reopening of restaurants.
Each restaurant will have a specific QR Code that customers will have to flash upon entering to register their details.
By downloading the mobile application AllAntiCovid, customers are quickly alerted if contact cases are detected in the event of contamination.
According to CNEWS, this QR Code will not be compulsory since a large part of restaurant customers do not have a smartphone, especially the elderly.
Faced with this situation, the reminder books will remain in place.
By the end of March, several tests of the QR code will be carried out in restaurants so that the government can judge the effectiveness of this health protocol.