Restaurants, Coffee shops in Yangon waiting on orders to reopen

Restaurants, Coffee shops in Yangon waiting on orders to reopen
Published 24 December 2020
Theinghi Win Htun

Although restaurants and coffee shops in Yangon Region have requested to open their shops for dining-in, no response has been made, said U Nay Lin, president of the restaurant entrepreneurs association.    

The request was submitted to the respective departments in November 2020, and the request was sent to the Prime Minister of Yangon Region as well, but no instructions were received in response, said U Nay Lin.   

U Nay Lin further said,"Since 11th  of November letters were sent to respective departments, and even to the Prime Minister of Yangon Region. Till now the respective departments have not given any instructions. We are waiting just for that".    

If things go on as they are now there will be shops that will close down for good, and there would be many people without jobs. If the restaurants are open along with COVID, then the restaurants must be checked and prosecuted if they fail to follow instructions, as mentioned in the letter from U Nay Lin.     

He further said, "The present situation of restaurants facing difficulties have been mentioned. If these restaurants continue to remain closed, they can be closed down for good. The restaurant workers will be without jobs. We have stated that the restaurants reopen along with COVID but with discipline, and with proper inspection. Restaurants that fail to abide by the instructions should be penalized".     

U Nay Lin also said that as contagion occurs not just from restaurants alone,  contagion can be controlled if restaurants operate according to discipline.    

He further said that if there was no discipline there could be contagion even from supermarkets. . So rather than close down restaurants they should be allowed to open with discipline and help control contagion. 

Just like seasonal flu COVID-19  will keep on spreading all over the world, and everything is to be done with discipline along with COVID-19, and mentioned in the report by the Ministry of Health and Sports on 22 December.