Indoor catering services to become available from 15 June

As the spread of Covid-19 declines and restrictions on gatherings and movement continue to be gradually eased, at its meeting on 10 June this year, the Cabinet of Ministers decided that, from 15 June this year, indoor catering services would be available to vaccinated and recovered persons, as well as to persons who can present a negative Covid-19 test certificate, and to children accompanying such persons who are up to 11 years of age (inclusive) without tests. At the same time, we remind you that outdoor, on-site catering services are available to any visitor.

“As the epidemiological situation improves and the number of vaccinated residents increases, restrictions will be eased further so that our entrepreneurs can continue their business activities as fully as possible. Catering establishments, which until now could offer only a limited range of services—providing takeaway food and serving customers on outdoor terraces—have now been awaiting the expansion of operations in the sector, namely, the opportunity to start admitting customers indoors as well,” said Minister of Economics Jānis Vitenbergs.

Indoor catering services will be available to persons who have been vaccinated against Covid-19, have recovered from Covid-19, or hold a interoperable testing certificate confirming that they have taken a Covid-19 test detecting SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA within the previous 48 hours and that the result is negative, or that a SARS-CoV-2 antigen test taken within the previous six hours is negative, as well as to children accompanying such persons who are up to 11 years of age (inclusive) without certificates.

Indoor catering services may be provided provided that strict epidemiological safety requirements are observed:

• employees and visitors wear mouth and nose coverings at the place where the service is provided, except when visitors are seated at a table;
• no more than four adults are seated at one table, not counting minor children (but no more than 10 persons in total), and they are from no more than two households;
• a distance of at least two metres is maintained between persons seated at different tables;
• cutlery, tableware sets and napkins are provided individually to each visitor; 
• tables are disinfected after each meal (each visitor). 

Catering service providers must also:

• ensure regular mechanical ventilation of the premises (maintaining a level of no more than 1,000 ppm) or a continuous supply of fresh air through windows;
• appoint a responsible person to organise the implementation of the specified epidemiological safety measures at the catering service location. This person must be present at the catering service location during its operating hours, provide the supervisory and control authority officials, upon request, with the necessary information on the implementation of epidemiological safety measures at the catering service location, and identify and indicate, in an objectively verifiable manner, the number of visitors present at the catering service location during an inspection;
• display clearly legible, publicly accessible information in places visible to visitors (at least at the entrance and the cash desk), including in foreign languages, on the maximum number of persons who may be present at the service location at the same time, as well as the contact details of the responsible person and the direct police assistance telephone number, 110.

To prevent people from gathering in catering establishments for extended periods, the restriction on operating hours remains in force: catering establishments may begin serving customers on-site no earlier than 6.00 a.m. and must close no later than midnight. After midnight, catering establishments may provide food only for takeaway.

At the same time, we remind you that, since 7 May this year, catering services may be provided on-site outdoors, including on terraces, to any person under enhanced safety conditions. The conditions for providing outdoor services have been published on the website of the Ministry of Economics.

The amendments approved by the government to Cabinet Regulation No. 360 of 9 June 2020, “Epidemiological Safety Measures to Limit the Spread of Covid-19 Infection”, can be viewed in detail on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Author:

Public Relations Department

Ministry of Economics