Male’, Maldives – Health Protection Agency (HPA) has changed the regulations – which had previously banned smoking in public places including cafe’s and restaurants – reversing the ban on smoking in such places.
The initial ban on smoking, vaping use of hookah in places which sell food was placed on the 21st of June. However, an amendment was made to the regulations, which allowed smoking in cafe’s and restaurants.
While the reason for the amendment was not stated, no comments have been made by authorities with regard to the matter.
Some main points highlighted in the regulations are, the importance of cleanliness in places handling food, which suggested that all such places should have easy access to hand washing facilities.
The guidelines also stated that in cafe’s and restaurants serving buffets, all buffet food shall be served by a dedicated server who is gloved and masked for the task, instead of self service.
This comes as Maldives eases out restrictions placed in the country with regards to the on going global pandemic of Covid-19.
